Intron Bio Files U.S. Patent Applications for Three New Endolysin Drug Candidates

On July 2, Intron Bio announced that it has recently completed the filing of a U.S. patent application for three improved endolysin-based new drug candidates that demonstrate strong antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria and superbugs.

The new drug candidates for which the patent application was filed are PKL200, TSL2200, and EAL2200, all developed by Intron Bio using its itLysin platform technology.

A company representative explained, "PKL200 is a drug that can provide strong lytic activity against major Gram-negative bacteria," and added, "It also exhibits antibacterial activity against uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), which is one of the main causes of urinary tract infection." The representative further stated, "PKL200 is considered a highly promising new drug candidate with potential applications for various indications, including the elimination of intestinal CRE, and the treatment of pneumonia and urinary tract infections."

TSL2200 is a substance that can rapidly kill all types of Salmonella, making it possible to prevent Salmonella infections through foods such as eggs, meat, salads, and tomatoes. Its applications are expected to extend across the dairy, meat processing, and food processing industries, as well as for use as a drug related to food poisoning.

EAL2200 is a substance that can provide antibacterial activity against bacteria of the genus Erwinia, which cause bacterial infections in fruit trees, such as fire blight.

These candidates are the result of the itLysin platform, developed based on Intron Bio's long-accumulated bacteriophage and endolysin technologies. Existing antibiotic drugs have limited antibacterial effects against Gram-negative bacteria because they cannot effectively overcome the outer membrane barrier of these bacteria. The itLysin technology was designed and developed to more efficiently penetrate the outer membrane structure of Gram-negative bacteria.

Kang Sanghyun, Vice President of the Intron Bio Biotechnology Research Institute, stated, "The patent application was a strategic decision focused not just on securing rights, but on actual commercialization," and added, "We filed the patent based on thorough commercialization preparation." He further commented, "It is an effective strategy to secure rights to the candidate substances and is also advantageous in terms of technology security."

Intron Bio is leading the development of new drugs to combat superbugs, based on its proprietary technologies in the bacteriophage and endolysin fields. The company has secured a number of promising pipelines.

Yoon Kyungwon, CEO, said, "As there is a global shortage of effective antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria, global pharmaceutical companies are showing great interest," and added, "Based on our patent applications, we plan to accelerate the development of pipelines targeting Gram-negative bacteria."