Merus Announces Favorable Decisions in Europe and Japan for Patents Covering Genetically-Modified Mice for Common Light Chain Human Monoclonal Antibodies

European Patent Office Dismisses Arguments by Regeneron

Favorable Rulings Further Strengthen IP Estate in Europe and Japan through 2029

UTRECHT, The Netherlands, Nov. 15, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merus N.V. (NASDAQ:MRUS), a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing innovative bispecific antibody therapeutics, today announced that it received two favorable rulings for its European patent EP 2147594 B1 (the "'594 patent") by the Opposition Division of the European Patent Office (the "EPO") as well by the Trial Board of the Japanese Patent Office for its Japanese counterpart JP 5749161 (the "'161 patent"). Both patents cover Merus' genetically-modified mice and their use to produce common light chain human monoclonal antibodies.

"We are very pleased by these positive rulings for Merus' common light chain mouse patents in Europe and Japan which we believe are a testament to the strength of our intellectual property estate and provide us with sufficient protection through 2029," said Ton Logtenberg, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Merus. "These favorable rulings reflect the unique attributes of our proprietary Biclonics® bispecific antibody technology platform that we believe has broad applicability in the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and other serious medical conditions."  

In Europe, the Opposition Division of the EPO upheld without amendment the '594 patent in oral proceedings held in The Hague on October 28, 2016. The claims of the '594 patent cover methods of obtaining common light chain human monoclonal antibodies from genetically-modified mice that comprise in their genome a human rearranged immunoglobulin light chain variable region. In Japan, the Trial Board of the Japanese Patent Office upheld the '161 patent with minimal amendments. The claims of the '161 patent are similar to those of the '594 patent.

Both the European Opposition Division and the Japanese Trial Board dismissed arguments brought by Regeneron (NASDAQ:REGN) that the patent lacked novelty and inventive step. In both territories, the decision is open to appeal.

About Merus N.V.
Merus is a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company developing innovative full length human bispecific antibody therapeutics, referred to as Biclonics®. Biclonics® are based on the full-length IgG format, are manufactured using industry standard processes and have been observed in preclinical studies to have several of the same features of conventional monoclonal antibodies, such as long half-life and low immunogenicity. Merus' lead bispecific antibody candidate, MCLA-128, is being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in Europe as a potential treatment for HER2-expressing solid tumors. Merus' second bispecific antibody candidate, MCLA-117, is being developed in a Phase 1/ 2 clinical trial in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. The Company also has a pipeline of proprietary bispecific antibody candidates in preclinical development, including MCLA-158, which is designed to bind to cancer stem cells and is being developed as a potential treatment for colorectal cancer and other solid tumors, and Biclonics® designed to bind to various combinations of immunomodulatory molecules, including PD-1 and PD-L1.