Ignyta Announces Issuance of Patent Covering Composition of Matter of RXDX-107

Ignyta, Inc. RXDX, a precision oncology biotechnology company, announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 9,150,517, entitled "Bendamustine Derivatives and Methods of Using Same." This patent contains claims that cover the composition of matter of Ignyta's product candidate RXDX-107, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising RXDX-107. RXDX-107 is the company's new chemical entity, next generation chemotherapeutic comprising an alkyl ester of bendamustine encapsulated in human serum albumin (HSA) to form nanoparticles. The patent has an expiration date of 2033, which does not include any potential patent term extension. "The issuance of this patent is an important development relating to maintaining exclusivity for our RXDX-107 product candidate," said Jonathan Lim, M.D., Chairman and CEO of Ignyta. "We believe this patent will be eligible for listing in the FDA's Orange Book, should RXDX-107 receive FDA approval, and the timing of the issuance is favorable because it allows us to begin accruing a period of patent term extension during the time this product candidate is undergoing clinical development."