Gliatech's Anti-Properdin Technology 

Description and Advantages

Gliatech Inc has received a notice of allowance from the US Patent and Trade mark Office for patent claims covering the use of anti-properdin agents as treatments to inhibit harmful inflammation. Gliatech is developing therapeutic antibodies to properdin as potential treatments for acute inflammatory conditions which result from cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, heart attacks and stroke. These antibodies may also provide new therapies for rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory diseases.

"The allowance of the patent claims is a significant step in protecting our intellectual property around anti-properdin agents and their promising utility as therapeutic agents," said Steven L. Basta, President of Gliatech. "The progress in this program has been rapid and the collaboration with Abgenix has been rewarding."

Properdin is a protein of the complement alternative pathway, which is a component of the normal host immune system. When the complement pathway is inappropriately triggered, tissue damage may result. Such is the case with acute damage, for example from stimulation of the complement pathway by cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. In chronic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system aberrantly recognizes the patient's own tissue and mounts an autoimmune response. Activation of the complement pathway in such a disease is thought to propagate this attack. 

Gliatech has developed proprietary monoclonal antibodies to properdin that are potent in vitro and in vivo inhibitors of the complement alternative pathway. By selectively blocking the alternative pathway, the negative consequences of inappropriate complement activation can be attenuated without inhibiting other key elements of the normal host immune defense. Gliatech has demonstrated in preclinical models that anti-properdin antibodies can reduce damage to heart tissue in models of reduced blood flow to heart tissues. In addition, the anti-properdin antibodies effectively block complement activation in models of cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. 

Gliatech Inc. is collaborating with Abgenix Inc to develop fully human monoclonal anti-bodies through Abgenix's XenoMouse technology. The companies have identified candidate antibodies to properdin for use as a therapeutic in cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases.

Source: Chronicle Pharmabiz, October 11, 2001