ASX Health Stocks: Inoviq pockets another US patent, its second in a month

Inoviq has just landed another US patent
The hTERT test platform has been granted patent protection up to 2035
This follows its other recent US patent approval for its SubB2M tests

Diagnostics and exosome specialist Inoviq (ASX:IIQ) – formerly called Bard1 Life Sciences – has been granted a US patent for its hTERT test platform.

The hTERT test is an immunocytochemistry (ICC) assay that detects hTERT, a component of telomerase, which is upregulated in most human epithelial cancers.

It’s been hypothesised that a high expression of hTERT can predict the survival of cancer.

Inoviq’s diagnostic test is used as an adjunct to urine cytology, assisting in the diagnosis of bladder cancer.

The US patent today specifically claims use of the company’s telomerase antibody to resolve inconclusive cytology and detect malignant cells.

Inoviq CEO, CEO Dr Leearne Hinch, said: “This application is a continuation of US patent 10,338,072, and provides additional coverage of our hTERT assay for telomerase‐based detection of cancers other than bladder cancer, such as thyroid and breast cancer.”

The patent will expire in March 2035, giving Inoviq a protection period of around 13 years.

A portfolio of patents

Inoviq has a portfolio of patented products, which includes the recent patent granting of its SubB2M technology earlier this month, also in the US.

The SubB2M technology was already granted an Australian patent in May.

The technology is based on an engineered protein that specifically detects the pan-cancer biomarker Neu5Gc found in multiple human cancers including breast, ovarian, prostate and others.

The company is now trying to advance the commercialisation of these SubB2M tests.

It has signed an agreement with US-based contract diagnostics organisation ResearchDx for the development and validation of the tests in the US.

According to Inoviq, the global cancer burden is estimated at 50.6m survivors, 19.3m new cases, and 10m deaths per year.

The company believes there is a major unmet need for non-invasive, accurate and reliable diagnostic tests for cancer, and that its technologies can enable earlier and more accurate detection.

Inoviq wants to capture the multi-product pipeline for detection and monitoring of breast, ovarian and other cancers – targeting a a potential total addressable market of US$15 billion globally.