Enzolytics Announces Progress in the Development and Patenting of Feline Leukemia Monoclonal Antibodies

COLLEGE STATION, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 4, 2023 / Enzolytics, Inc. (OTC PINK:ENZC) (https://enzolytics.com/).

Enzolytics today announced progress on its ongoing program to produce Monoclonal Antibodies to treat animals by filing a comprehensive patent application covering its identification of conserved neutralizable epitopes on the Feline Leukemia (FeLV) virus. Using the Company's Artificial Intelligence technology, more than 26 immutable epitope sites on the FeLV virus have been identified. These sites are claimed in the filed patent application. The patent covers the use of any of its discovered numerous conserved Feline Leukemia epitopes in the production of monoclonal antibodies, the production of vaccines, or use in diagnostic tests for detecting the virus in cats. The Company's wholly owned subsidiary Biogenysis, Inc. holds the exclusive license to this technology and manages this technology field for the Company.

While the Company's focus is on producing monoclonal antibodies for treating numerous human viruses, including COVID-19, HIV, HIV-2, Influenza A and B, H1N1 influenza, Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Small-Pox, Ebola Virus, Tetanus, Diphtheria, HTLV-1/2, Rabies, Herpes zoster, Varicella zoster, Anthrax, Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV) and Visna virus (VISNA), the Company has also analyzed epitopes of animal viruses, namely the Cat Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), Horse Equine Infectious Anemia Virus, Chicken Anemia Virus, Koala Retrovirus (KoRV), Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpes Virus (EEHV), Avian Flu Swine Flu, This analysis has revealed the conserved immutable sites on these viruses against which monoclonal antibody production is planned. The findings will ultimately be claimed in U.S. and foreign patent applications.

Targeting the conserved sites discovered by Enzolytics allows the production of a therapeutic that will not be rendered ineffective due to mutation (variants) of the virus. Even a "variant form of the virus" will contain the immutable targeted sites. Targeting immutable sites avoids the ineffectiveness that is experienced when a therapeutics or vaccine targets a site that has mutated.

Currently, there is no cure for Cat Feline Leukemia (FeLV) virus. The cost of treatment of the virus is significant. There are more than 45 million cats in the U.S. and over 25% of households in America own one or more cats. FeLV is one of the most common infectious diseases in cats. This virus affects a significant percentage of the cat population in the United States, resulting in millions of cats suffering from it. This same problem exists around the world in the world population of 600 million cats.

Production of monoclonal antibodies targeting this animal virus and bringing this therapy to market will be more direct and the time to treatment of animals will be significantly less than is the case required for monoclonal antibodies developed for the treatment of individuals. The Company has initiated discussions with animal health providers who express an interest in this technology and its end product.

The production of these monoclonal antibodies begins in the Company's lab located at the Texas A&M University Institute for Preclinical Studies [https://tips.tamu.edu/]. The lab uses the Company's proprietary methodology for producing fully species-specific monoclonal antibodies which target conserved, immutable sites on the viruses, thereby avoiding ineffectiveness due to virus mutation.

The methodology implemented by the Company to produce monoclonal antibodies is proprietary and the subject of the Company's pending international patent applications. In the initial process step, Artificial Intelligence (AI - computer analysis) is used to identify conserved, immutable epitopes on the target virus utilizing Enzolytics' proprietary AI platform. In the AI initial analysis process step, the sequences (structure) of virus isolates are analyzed. From that analysis, epitopes (target sites) are identified which are conserved across all isolates curated. The Company production process is then employed to produce monoclonal antibodies targeting these identified conserved sites.

As a part of this process, 3 Dimensional models of these conserved targets are generated, and the targets may be analyzed for linearity, accessibility by antibodies, and neutralizability by antibodies. Then Enzolytics produces multiple broadly neutralizing antibodies targeting these multiple conserved, immutable epitopes on the targeted virus.

Enzolytics' methodology for producing monoclonal antibodies is unique and innovative, unlike those employed by other biotech companies. In the case of a monoclonal antibody to treat an animal virus, the Company's antibodies are produced from animal "immune-B cells", obtained from convalescent animals who have recovered from the target virus. The Company's monoclonal antibodies are then developed directly where the original antibody affinity and specificity are maintained, and the chances of immunogenicity are minimized.

Enzolytics' Focus on Intellectual Property (IP)

"As Enzolytics advances its science and clinical products, the Company continues to build a robust Intellectual Property portfolio", said Gaurav Chandra, MD, the Company COO. "Intellectual property protection is crucial to fostering innovation. Our focus is on gaining competitive advantage through an aggressive patent strategy."

Charles Cotropia, the Company CEO, said, "The patent system is an optimum way for a small biotech company to lay claim, for a 20-year period dating back to an early priority date, to significant intellectual property even before or without bringing the therapeutic to market. The filing of a patent application serves as a constructive reduction to practice of the subject matter described in the application. In this way, we are taking every opportunity to cover the waterfront on all the viruses we are analyzing."

The breadth of patent coverage that is sought and expected is extremely far-reaching based on the discovery of the critical target epitope sites necessary to neutralize these viruses most effectively. The Company has identified conserved epitopes using its AI platform on multiple viruses in addition to HIV and COVID-19, namely HIV-2, Influenza A and B, H1N1 influenza, Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Small-Pox, Ebola Virus, Tetanus, Diphtheria, HTLV-1/2, Rabies, Herpes zoster, Varicella zoster, Anthrax, Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV) and Visna virus (VISNA). The same has been accomplished in multiple animal viruses. These findings will be the subject of protection through international patents. Patent coverage can be expected covering the discovered conserved epitopes for these human and animal viruses, and additionally on the use of any of the discovered epitopes/antigens in producing therapies, any vaccines or related prophylactic/therapeutic method relating to the identified epitope/antigens and on diagnostics. Our patent portfolio will be extensive."

Safe Harbor Statement: This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties associated with financial projections, budgets, milestone timelines, clinical development, regulatory approvals, and other risks described by Enzolytics, Inc. from time to time in its periodic reports filed with the SEC. While Enzolytics, Inc. believes that the forward-looking statements and underlying assumptions contained therein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, including, but not limited to, the ability of Enzolytics to establish the efficacy of its therapeutics in the treatment of any disease or health condition, the development of studies and strategies leading to commercialization of its therapeutics in the United States, the obtaining of funding required to carry out the development plan, the completion of studies and tests on time or at all, and the successful outcome of such studies or tests. Therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this release will prove to be accurate.

Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations. They involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert, or change any of the statements made, and cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update the forward-looking statements or update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements.

Company Contact:
Enzolytics, Inc.
1101 Raintree Circle
Allen, Texas 75013
www.enzolytics.com

SOURCE: Enzolytics, Inc.