Breakthrough in Alzheimer’s Fight: L&J Bio Secures US Patent for Revolutionary Treatment AL04
L&J Bio announced on the 29th that it has completed patent registration (patent number US 12,115,212 B2) from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its Alzheimer’s dementia treatment candidate ‘AL04’.
This patent is for a drug that simultaneously removes amyloid beta and tau proteins, which are known to be the main causes of Alzheimer’s, and was registered on the 15th. The patent title is ‘A method of simultaneously reducing amyloid beta plaque and tau plaque deposition in Alzheimer’s disease patients using cystatin C fusion protein.’
Alzheimer’s is known to be caused by the accumulation of amyloid beta plaques and tau protein tangles in the brain. The company explains that AL04 is a treatment that removes both amyloid beta and tau proteins, unlike most existing treatments that target only amyloid beta.
Cystatin C, one of the main components of AL04, inhibits amyloid beta and prevents excessive phosphorylation of tau protein, thereby reducing the accumulation of these two proteins. Additionally, special peptides pass through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) of the brain and help the drug to be effectively delivered into brain cells. The company explained that because of this action, AL04 has a high possibility of being applied to a wider range of Alzheimer’s patients than existing antibody treatments.
Through this US patent registration, L&J Bio has secured exclusive rights in the US, the world’s largest treatment market. Currently, patent examination is in progress in major countries such as Europe, Korea, Japan, and Australia.
L&J Bio recently attracted attention by making presentations at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) held in Philadelphia, USA, and at BIO USA 2024, the world’s largest bio event.
In addition to AL04, the company is researching various new drug candidates, including treatments for Parkinson’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), diabetes, hair loss, and chronic pain. With this US patent registration, we plan to continue more active research and development.
An L&J Bio official said, “After 12 years of research in both Korea and the United States, we have achieved this patent registration,” and added, “We will continue to expand our position in the global bio market by developing new drugs for various diseases.”
Reporter Yena Kim yena@hankyung.com