D-Pharm Granted Patent in US and China for its Phase II Product THR-18

REHOVOT, Israel, October 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

D-Pharm Ltd (TASE: DPRM) announced today, October 30 2013, that a new patent has been granted in the US and China related to composition and use of THR-18 in thromboembolic diseases and pathological conditions associated with neurological damage. THR-18, a synthetic therapeutic peptide derived from plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is currently being studied in a Phase II clinical trial in stroke patients treated with the clot buster drug, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). THR-18 is aimed to alleviate the life-threatening side effects associated with thrombolytic therapy such as intra-cerebral hemorrhage (ICH).

This is the second patent relating to THR-18 that's been granted in the US and is the first in China. Patents for THR-18 have also been granted in Europe and other territories. The burden of stroke is enormous and granting of this patent clears the way for possible development and commercialization of THR-18 both in developed and rapidly growing emerging therapeutic markets.

Tissue plasminogen activator is approved for treatment of myocardial infarction, pulmonary embolism and it is the only drug approved in the West for treatment of acute ischemic stroke, where it is used within a narrow time window and administered in less than 5% of stroke patients. THR-18 is designed to neutralize the potentially life-threatening adverse effects of tPA and thus significantly increase the patient population eligible for thrombolytic therapy.

THR-18 corresponds to a fragment of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a natural inhibitor of tPA. THR-18 binds at one of the PAI-1 docking sites on tPA, lessening tPA's potential harmful effects but leaving intact its clot-dissolving properties.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, escalating single-dose, Phase IIa study of THR-18 in tPA treated stroke patients was recently approved by the Competent Authority, in October 2013. The study will assess the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of THR-18 given with tPA to patients with acute ischemic stroke. Previously, THR-18 successfully completed a Phase 1 clinical study in healthy volunteers.

D-Pharm assumed responsibility for THR-18 development in 2012 when D-Pharm wholly acquired the clinical stage company Thrombotech Ltd.  D-Pharm is committed to the development of THR-18, and will continue to leverage its clinical development experience to advance this product to market.

About D-Pharm

D-Pharm (http://www.dpharm.com) is a clinical stage, technology-driven biopharmaceutical company developing proprietary products for treatment of CNS disorders. D-Pharm's pipeline includes clinical stage II products, as well as a rich preclinical development pipeline for Alzheimer's disease, and other types of dementia.

Disclaimer

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking information, as defined in the Securities Law, based on information available to D-Pharm at the time of this press release. The estimations could, some or all, be unrealized, or could be realized in significantly different ways than expected.

For further information please contact:

Tami Horovitz
Tel: +972-8-9385100
Fax: +972-8-9300795
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE D-Pharm Ltd