NEW YORK, Nov. 14, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intellect Neurosciences, Inc. (OTCBB: ILNS ), a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of disease-modifying therapeutic and diagnostic agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases, today announced it obtained a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The patent allowance is in relation to TOC-1, a monoclonal antibody that selectively binds neurotoxic pre-fibrillar tau aggregates which are important pathological components in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative tauopathies. Intellect previously obtained development and commercialization rights to TOC-1 under an exclusive license agreement with Northwestern University.
New findings regarding the antibody were recently published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease in a paper titled, "TOC1: Characterization of a Selective Oligomeric Tau Antibody" written by Lester Binder, Ph.D., the Abbott Laboratories, Duane and Susan Burnham Research Professor of Genetic and Molecular Medicine, at Northwestern University. These data underscore its potential as a powerful biochemical tool that can be used to better investigate the involvement of tau in neurodegenerative diseases.
"The new patent allowance from the USPTO awarded to Intellect Neurosciences is of particular significance in view of the considerable attention being given to the important role of pre-fibrillar aggregated forms of tau in the pathogenesis of AD and other tauopathies such as cortico-basal ganglia degeneration and progressive supranuclear palsy," said Professor Moses V. Chao, Molecular Neurobiology Program Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine NYU School of Medicine. "TOC-1 reacts with brain pathology in each of these types of diseases and is undoubtedly an important biochemical tool that will be extremely helpful to academic and industry researchers".
The Company is exploring ways to commercialize TOC-1, initially as an essential tool which is required for research, but also for further development clinically.
About Intellect Neurosciences
Intellect Neurosciences, Inc. develops innovative approaches aimed at arresting or preventing Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, with a specific focus on proteinopathies. Intellect's pipeline includes therapeutic vaccines, antibodies and neuroprotective antibody drug conjugates. For more information, please visit www.intellectns.com .
Safe Harbor Statements Regarding Forward Looking Statements
The statements in this release and oral statements made by representatives of Intellect Neurosciences relating to matters that are not historical facts (including, without limitation, those regarding future performance or financial results, the timing or potential outcomes of research collaborations or clinical trials, any market that might develop for any of Intellect's product candidates and the sufficiency of Intellect's cash and other capital resources) are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the likelihood that actual performance or results could materially differ, that future research will prove successful, the likelihood that any product in the research pipeline will receive regulatory approval in the United States or abroad, or Intellect's ability to fund such efforts with or without partners. Intellect undertakes no obligation to update any of these statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as to the date hereof. Accordingly, any forward-looking statements should be read in conjunction with the additional risks and uncertainties detailed in Intellect's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those discussed in Intellect's Annual Report on Form 10-K (file no. 333-128226), filed on October 15, 2013.
