OpGen Subsidiary Ares Genetics Successfully Maintains Key Patent under Opposition in Europe
June 26 2023 - 7:30AM
OpGen, Inc. (Nasdaq: OPGN, “OpGen”), a precision medicine company
harnessing the power of molecular diagnostics and informatics to
help combat infectious disease, and OpGen subsidiary, Ares
Genetics, which strives to become a leader in bacterial genomics
and AI-powered prediction of antimicrobial resistance (AMR),
announced today that one of its key patents under opposition has
been successfully maintained.
The patent with the title GENETIC RESISTANCE
PREDICTION AGAINST ANTIMICROBIAL DRUGS IN MICROORGANISM USING
STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN THE GENOME was granted in Europe on January
6, 2021 and in China on January 10, 2023.
In September 2021, an opposition was filed by a
Swedish opponent against the patent grant by the European Patent
Office. In a hearing on Thursday, June 22, 2023, the opposition
division of the European Patent Office ruled in favor of
maintaining the patent as granted with a minor amendment to one of
the claims.
The patent as maintained broadly covers the
prediction of AMR in pathogens based on any genetic determinants
involving two or more nucleotides.
The patent is an important component of the
comprehensive intellectual property portfolio protecting Ares
Genetics' unique database ARESdb and machine learning based
approaches for predicting phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility and
resistance directly from genomic data, an approach also referred to
as “genomic AST.” Under the patent, both the computational
identification of genetic determinants of AMR and genomic AST can
be carried out, in order to diagnose AMR infections in patient
samples.
“The patent covers the use of alignment-free
methods, which are not only more computing resource efficient, but
are also generally required to discover and resolve more complex
structural variants, which is particularly important in this
context,” says Dr. Arne Materna, CEO and Managing Director of Ares
Genetics. “We therefore welcome the favorable ruling by the
European Patent Office, an outcome that we believe underscores the
validity, novelty and potential value of similar pending patent
applications in our portfolio.”
OpGen believes that bacterial whole genome
sequencing (WGS) is becoming the method of choice for detecting and
controlling healthcare associated outbreaks. Genomic AST as covered
in the patent has the potential to expand the utility of WGS beyond
outbreak-surveillance into the realm of diagnostic applications to
inform therapy.
About OpGen, Inc.
OpGen, Inc. (Rockville, Md, U.S.A.) is a precision medicine
company harnessing the power of molecular diagnostics and
bioinformatics to help combat infectious disease. Along with our
subsidiaries, Curetis GmbH and Ares Genetics GmbH, we are
developing and commercializing molecular microbiology solutions
helping to guide clinicians with more rapid and actionable
information about life threatening infections to improve patient
outcomes, and decrease the spread of infections caused by
multidrug-resistant microorganisms, or MDROs. OpGen’s current
product portfolio includes Unyvero, Acuitas AMR Gene Panel, and the
ARES Technology Platform including ARESdb, NGS technology and
AI-powered bioinformatics solutions for antibiotic response
prediction including ARESiss, ARESid, ARESasp and AREScloud, as
well as the Curetis CE-IVD-marked PCR-based SARS-CoV-2 test
kit.
For more information, please visit
www.opgen.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes statements regarding
the decision to maintain a key patent of Ares Genetics granted by
the European Patent Office. These statements and other statements
regarding OpGen’s future plans and goals constitute
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of
the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and are intended to qualify for the safe
harbor from liability established by the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to risks
and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict, are beyond
our control, and which may cause results to differ materially from
expectations. Factors that could cause our results to differ
materially from those described include, but are not limited to,
the success of our commercialization efforts, our ability to
successfully, timely and cost-effectively develop, seek and obtain
regulatory clearance for and commercialize our product and services
offerings, the rate of adoption of our products and services by
hospitals and other healthcare providers, the fact that we may not
effectively use proceeds from recent financings, our ability to
satisfy debt obligations under our loan with the European
Investment Bank, the effect of the military action in Russia and
Ukraine on our distributors, collaborators and service providers,
our liquidity and working capital requirements, the effect on our
business of existing and new regulatory requirements, and other
economic and competitive factors. For a discussion of the most
significant risks and uncertainties associated with OpGen's
business, please review our filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance
on these forward-looking statements, which are based on our
expectations as of the date of this press release and speak only as
of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as
a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
OpGen:Oliver SchachtPresident and
CEOInvestorRelations@opgen.com
OpGen Investor & Press Contact:Alyssa
FactorEdison Groupafactor@edisongroup.com
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