Press Release

MOLOGEN AG: Patent for MIDGE against Chronical Pain will be granted

Berlin, 2004-11-01

MOLOGEN AG received written notice from the European Patent Office that the patent EP 1 363 658 for the “application of MIDGE technology against chronical and severe pain” will be granted.

One of the possible applications for this technology is rheumatoid arthritis, where MIDGE-constructs would be injected into chronically inflamed body regions, like knee or hand joints. Severe pain generated by tumor metastases could be treated as well.

The MIDGE constructs contain the genetic blueprint for the production of pain alleviating substances (peptides) within the cells of the patient. The biochemical signals for pain relieve would then work at the site of pain origin, and not necessarily enter the body’s blood circulation.

Established drugs require distribution over the bloodstream and therefore may have undesired effects within the whole body.

MOLOGEN CEO Professor Wittig: “We had stopped working on this project for different reasons. One of them was that the forecasts for this 5 billion US dollar market suggested that it would be dominated by COX-2 inhibitors during the next 10-15 years. With the market withdrawal of Vioxx, a COX-2 inhibitors drug, this forecast may be outdated. With our patent now in place, we will review our plans of applying MIDGE against pain. This patent is an important endorsement of our well protected intellectual property.”

 

General information about MOLOGEN

MOLOGEN uses its proprietary DNA technologies to create and develop treatments for high-unmet-need illnesses. The main focus are the unique and patented MIDGE and dSLIM technologies. Based on these platforms, MOLOGEN is developing DNA-based vaccines and therapeutics to prevent or cure a wide range of diseases.

Going public in 1998, MOLOGEN was one of the first German biotechnology companies to be floated on the stock exchange. The MOLOGEN shares are traded on the Geregelter Markt in Frankfurt.

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