OpGen subsidiary Ares Genetics announces granting of key patent in China
26 January 2023 - 11:30PM
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
(Ares), which strives to become a leader in bacterial genomics and
AI-powered prediction of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), announced
today the granting of a key patent by the China National
Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA).
The patent with the number ZL 201680044780.7 is
titled “Genetic resistance prediction against antimicrobial drugs
in microorganism using structural changes in the genome” and
describes the invention of a computer implemented method for the
identification of genetic variations associated with antibiotic
resistance (AMR) in bacteria. The claims of the granted patent
cover the use of bioinformatics to determine in a first step
genomic differences between bacteria susceptible to antibiotic
therapy and strains that are antibiotic resistant, and to identify
in a second step those variants associated with AMR using
statistical correlation methods. The patent further protects the
use of the invention to diagnose an infection of a patient with
pathogens potentially resistant to antibiotic therapy.
AMR infections are on the rise globally and
currently lead to approximately 1.57 million deaths1 per year due
to otherwise treatable infections for which the causative pathogen
no longer responded to antibiotic therapy. “The inappropriate and
ineffective use of antibiotics is both a widespread problem in
patient care and a leading driver of the silent AMR pandemic,” says
Dr. Arne Materna, CEO of Ares. “We believe there is an urgent need
for new diagnostics to detect AMR outbreaks, particularly for
healthcare associated infections, and to identify individually
effective antibiotic regimen in order to reduce transmissions,
improve patient care, and ultimately curb the spread of AMR. We are
pleased that claims of the granted patent cover the identification
and diagnostic use of genomic variants associated with AMR, and we
welcome the decision by the Chinese patent office as we believe it
underscores the strategic value of our IP portfolio.”
OpGen believes that bacterial whole genome
sequencing (WGS) is becoming the method of choice for detecting and
controlling healthcare associated outbreaks. The detection of AMR
based on genomic markers as outlined 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, 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 granting of a patent by the China National Intellectual
Property Administration (CNIPA) to OpGen’s subsidiary, Ares
Genetics. 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, the
continued realization of expected benefits of our business
combination transaction with Curetis GmbH, the continued impact of
COVID-19 on the Company’s operations, financial results, and
commercialization efforts as well as on capital markets and general
economic conditions, 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, our ability to realize any anticipated
benefits from the reverse stock split, including maintaining its
listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market and attracting new investors,
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 Press Contact:Matthew Bretzius FischTank
Marketing and PRmatt@fischtankpr.com
OpGen Investor Contact:Alyssa FactorEdison
Group afactor@edisongroup.com
1
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)02724-0/fulltext
OpGen (NASDAQ:OPGN)
Historical Stock Chart
From Sep 2024 to Oct 2024
OpGen (NASDAQ:OPGN)
Historical Stock Chart
From Oct 2023 to Oct 2024