Biovica, active in blood-based cancer monitoring, has received a positive International Preliminary Report on Patentability (IPRP) covering the use of TKa as a prognostic and monitoring marker in cancer treatment outside the CDK 4/6 inhibitor space, expanding the market potential for the DiviTum TKa technology by four to six times.
“This is a very important step for Biovica in making our DiviTum TKa technology more broadly available as a liquid based tool for the monitoring of drug efficaciousness within cancer treatment, thereby increasing the market reach and helping more patients receive the most optimal treatment”, said Anders Rylander, CEO of Biovica.
The IPRP is issued by the European Patent Office (EPO) which is also the International Examining Authority making any additional submission for an international patent in Europe uncalled for.
Also, EPO has concluded that all claims are indeed novel and inventive and covers “cancer” as a broadly used term – not only a single cancer disease. As the IPRP is entirely positive the EPO is expected to follow this opinion in the European phase, making an early grant in Europe very likely.
In other territories outside of Europe, it will be the national patent authority’s decision as to what extent they take the IPRP into account during examination. The IPRP will now be sent by the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization to the various designated offices for their consideration during the national phases.