OREANDA-NEWS. September 08, 2016. Shield Therapeutics plc (LSE:STX), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on secondary care, is pleased to announce that the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has granted a composition of matter patent protecting the Company's lead product Feraccru®, which received marketing authorisation across Europe in February 2016 for the treatment of adults with Iron Deficiency Anaemia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.  Feraccru® is currently in the early stages of commercialisation in Europe, having been launched in the UK in June 2016.

UK Patent GB2531742 is entitled "Polymorphs of Ferric Maltol" and significantly expands Feraccru's intellectual property portfolio by protecting the active substance of Feraccru® through to at least 2034.  Prior to this grant, Feraccru® intellectual property rights were based on manufacturing and use patents initially through to 2023 before the application of any patent extensions granted following marketing authorisations, for example a Supplementary Protection Certificate in the European Economic Area.

Carl Sterritt, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, commented: "I am delighted that such a highly regarded body as the UKIPO has granted Shield a composition of matter claim to the active substance in Feraccru®.  In doing so, this has significantly added to the breadth of the IP for Feraccru® as well as providing a lengthy extension to that protection.  Allowance at the UKIPO is an indicator of the protection that we are anticipating in other territories when the national phase is entered in April 2017.  Shield intends to seek protection across a broad range of geographies at that time, and such composition of matter protection should enable Shield to prevent third parties from manufacturing or selling the product for any use until at least 2034."