Cellectar to be Granted EU Patent for Phospholipid Ether (PLE) Analogs as Cancer-Targeting Drug Vehicles

Covers composition of matter and method of use into 2036 for proprietary PLE analogs in combination with various small molecule chemotherapeutics

FLORHAM PARK, N.J., June 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cellectar Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLRB), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of cancer, today announced that the European Patent Office has announced the intent to grant patent number EP3229810 (B1) titled “Phospholipid Ether Analogs as Cancer-Targeting Drug Vehicles.” The patent provides composition of matter and use protection for the company’s proprietary PLE, targeted delivery vehicle analogs in combination with a broad range of chemotherapeutics such as paclitaxel, gemcitabine, and other classes of small molecule chemotherapeutic agents. The cancer-targeting PLE delivery vehicle serves as the foundation for the company’s lead product candidate CLR 131, which continues to advance through clinical studies in both adult and pediatric cancer indications.

“This patent represents a key step towards the expansion of our PDC franchise into the European and the rest of the world markets. It provides intellectual property protection for many of our ongoing preclinical programs, similar to the previously granted U.S. patent,” stated James Caruso president and chief executive officer of Cellectar Biosciences. “We plan to explore other therapeutic modalities with the PLE and seek partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies interested in utilizing our technology to potentially improve the delivery and the efficacy and tolerability of their drugs.”

The combination of the PLE with a small molecule chemotherapeutic is known as a Phospholipid Drug Conjugate or PDC. PDCs provide targeted delivery and release of therapeutic payloads inside tumor cells including primary and metastatic tumor sites as well as cancer stem cells and has also demonstrated the capacity to cross the blood-brain-barrier and target brain tumors.

About Phospholipid Drug Conjugates
Cellectar's product candidates are built upon a patented delivery platform that utilizes optimized phospholipid ether-drug conjugates (PDCs) to target cancer cells. The PDC platform selectively delivers diverse oncologic payloads to cancerous cells and cancer stem cells, including hematologic cancers and solid tumors. This selective delivery allows the payloads’ concentration within tumor cells to be increased while reducing the concentration in normal tissue, which may enhance drug potency while reducing adverse events. This platform takes advantage of a metabolic pathway utilized by all tumor cell types. Compared with other targeted delivery platforms, the PDC platform’s mechanism of entry does not rely upon specific cell surface epitopes or antigens which can be modified or removed by tumor cells resulting in resistance to the treatment. In addition, PDCs can be conjugated to molecules in numerous ways, thereby increasing the types or classes of molecules that can be selectively delivered. Cellectar believes the PDC platform holds potential for the discovery and development of the next generation of cancer-targeting agents.