Benzinga | Dec 15, 2020 09:06AM EST

Qualigen Therapeutics Announces Issuance Of US Patent For Expanded Applications Of ALAN Anticancer Platform Technology

CARLSBAD, Calif., Dec. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:QLGN), a biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent entitled "Anti-Nucleolin Agent-Conjugated Nanoparticles as Radio-Sensitizers and/or MRI Contrast Agents" regarding the Company's ALAN (Aptamer-Linked Anti-Nucleolin) technology. This patent issued to the University of Louisville (UofL) protects the ALAN technology for use with cancer radiation therapy and for imaging tumors utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The novel ALAN technology has several other potential applications, including its use as a monotherapy for the treatment of cancer and as a vehicle to deliver other anticancer compounds directly to tumors. In 2018, Qualigen obtained exclusive worldwide rights from the UofL for the use of the ALAN technology.

The gold nanoparticle component of ALAN is believed to enhance radiation therapy by "magnifying" the effects of radiation on the targeted tumor cells with the potential to justify lower radiation exposure and, in turn, decrease side effects. ALAN may also potentially be used in combination with MRIs to provide higher-resolution images of solid tumors and tumor cells as special imaging dyes attach to the gold nanoparticle compound.

"With the issuance of this patent, we continue to build our intellectual property portfolio as a key component to protect our technologies under development," stated Michael Poirier, Qualigen's Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President. "ALAN is a valuable therapeutic platform technology that may be applied in numerous indications. Currently, we are evaluating strategic options on how to develop and monetize these additional applications while we continue to advance ALAN in our development pipeline against acute myeloid leukemia."

ALAN is a DNA aptamer-based anticancer drug candidate that combines the DNA aptamer AS1411 with a gold nanoparticle to dramatically increase its potency. This drug candidate has the potential to target and destroy tumor cells in a wide variety of cancer types with minimal side effects. The Company plans to commence Phase 1 human trials with ALAN in 2021 in patients with acute myeloid leukemia, its lead indication.

"The issuance of this patent for ALAN further protects this technology's potential broad applicability as a treatment for cancer," added Paula Bates, PhD, Professor of Medicine at UofL. "We look forward to our continued collaboration with Qualigen as we plan to enter this drug candidate into clinical trials as a therapeutic next year. We believe ALAN has the potential to be more targeted than available cancer treatments with the ability not to harm normal healthy cells resulting in less side effects for the patient."

Qualigen currently has 58 issued and pending patents and has in-licensed rights to a further 42 issued and pending patents.