Reply to inthno Hello inthno,
You posted this question:
"My condern with the IP is that the company is not filing any more patents that we know of and the ones that they have are running out of time. By the time we partner and run a trial and then get hopefull approval it could well take us past the time of our patents. The company desparately needs someone to step up quickly and take the helm and move this along or get a buy out done asap. The longer they wait to see more results the less time they have to set up a trial, get it running , finish it and then with hopeful good result get fda appproval before the patents run out."
My reply: I am not in the slightest bit worried about the duration of our current patents. Patents can be extended through slight innovation. In addition, we have been offered favorable regulatory treatment in terms of length of time when competition is not allowed.
In my view, the issue is not whether patents expire before we get through trials. The issue is the partnership or buyout to fund trials. If someone buys us, then we are out of here, and they take the IP forward. If we partner, the partner pays us a lot of money and they largely or totally pay for trials.
If no one buys or partners with us, we die a slow death or turn into a 100% adjuvant company for I/O.
But regardless, the management of this company managed to get us here, starting from a big hole about 5 years ago when Matt took over. Those folks are on the ball enough to keep our patents relevant until someone buys or partners us.
So the patent time lines are not something I worry about. Our patent cliff is a lot further off then in the world of big pharma.