Drug developer Kamada Ltd. (TASE: KMDA) has received Israeli patent approval for the unique manufacturing process it has developed for cleaning and purifying AAT (Alpha-1 Antitrypsin). Patent (174410) expands and strengthens Kamada's intellectual property, following similar patent approvals in the US, Europe and Australia.
The patent protects Kamada's unique protein proprietary technologies used to produce the company's intravenous AAT drug, which is currently being marketed in six countries around the world, including the US and Israel. It also protects the manufacturing process of the next generation product, inhalable AAT, which is currently undergoing Phase II/III clinical trials. In addition, Kamada's technology is being used in an advanced clinical trial to treat juvenile Type-1 Diabetes.
The AAT drug had tens of millions of shekels in annual sales. AAT, which is being sold in the US under the commercial name, GLASSIA, treats chronic emphysema due to congenital deficiency of AAT (Alpha-1 Antitrypsin), an under-diagnosed hereditary condition, which causes irreversible damage to lung tissue, severe lung disease, and even death.
Kamada CEO David Tsur said, "I am very happy that the AAT drug received a patent in Israel as well. Our advanced facilities have enabled us for years to use our innovative technology to purify and separate proteins, and to create ten different drugs currently being marketed in more than 15 countries worldwide.
"The current patent joins a long list of Kamada patents worldwide, and is witness to the innovative technology and unique know-how that we have developed in the process of creating proteins and antibodies in general, and AAT (Alpha-1 Antitrypsin) in specific."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 10, 2012
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