Tevogen Bio, a clinical stage biotechnology company specializing in cell and gene therapies in oncology and viral infections, announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a new patent for the method of preparing COVID-19 peptide specific cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) for the treatment of COVID-19 infection. The patent further reinforces the biotech pioneer’s expanding IP portfolio.
“Omicron’s extensive mutations and its subsequent ability to evade antibodies highlights the importance of Killer T cells, which can still recognize and eliminate virus-infected cells,” said Tevogen CEO Ryan Saadi, M.D., M.P.H. “Millions among us suffer from inadequate T cell response for various reasons. After two years of the pandemic and witnessing the challenges posed by the ever-evolving virus, we must explore scientific options beyond our current approaches. CTL therapeutics for large patient populations is not an easy undertaking, but Tevogen’s ability to manufacture hundreds of doses from a single donor gives me hope,” Saadi added.
The granted patent covers Tevogen’s investigational allogeneic SARS-CoV-2 specific Cytotoxic CD8+ T Lymphocytes (CTL) therapy, TVGN-489, for high-risk COVID-19 patients. The product is currently undergoing a proof of concept clinical trial at Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia. Trial details are available at Clinical Trials – Tevogen.
About TVGN-489
TVGN-489 is a highly purified, SARS-CoV-2-specific cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocyte product, which detects targets spread across the entire viral genome. These targeted CTLs are expected to recognize and kill off virally infected cells, allowing the body to replace them with healthy, uninfected cells. TVGN-489 demonstrated strong antiviral activity toward SARS-CoV-2 targets in preclinical studies.
