9 Meters Biopharma Announces Allowance of Patent for Anti-GIP Monoclonal Antibody NM-136 for the Treatment of Serious Metabolic Conditions

RALEIGH, NC / ACCESSWIRE / April 13, 2022 / 9 Meters Biopharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:NMTR), a clinical-stage company pioneering novel treatments for people with rare or debilitating digestive diseases, announced today that the Company has received notice from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that U.S. Patent Application No. 16/781,304 is allowed.

The patent provides protection for the use of NM-136 for the treatment of hyperphagia (excessive or extreme hunger), serious metabolic conditions such as obesity, and for reducing fatty tissue buildup in body organs. NM-136 is a long-acting, highly specific humanized anti-GIP monoclonal antibody. NM-136 has been shown to prevent glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) from binding to its receptor, which in preclinical obesity models has been shown to significantly decrease weight and abdominal fat by reducing nutrient absorption from the intestine as well as nutrient storage without affecting appetite.

"The allowance of this patent by the USPTO supports our efforts to further strengthen our pipeline, which includes our advanced co-lead products vurolenatide for short bowel syndrome and larazotide for celiac disease, and aligns with our strategy to develop innovative products that make a meaningful impact on the lives of patients suffering from rare or debilitating diseases," said John Temperato, President and Chief Executive Officer of 9 Meters. "We believe NM-136 has considerable potential in the treatment of a number of metabolic disorders, and we look forward to progressing toward an IND filing."

About 9 Meters Biopharma

9 Meters Biopharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage company pioneering novel treatments for people with rare digestive diseases, GI conditions with unmet needs, and debilitating disorders in which the biology of the gut is a contributing factor. The Company is advancing vurolenatide, a proprietary Phase 2 long-acting GLP-1 agonist, for short bowel syndrome (SBS); larazotide, a Phase 3 tight junction regulator in non-responsive celiac disease; and several near clinical-stage assets.

For more information please visit www.9meters.com or follow 9 Meters on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements based upon the Company's current expectations. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements that express our intentions, beliefs, expectations, strategies, predictions, anticipated milestones and any other statements relating to our future activities or other future events or conditions. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation: intellectual property risks; reliance on research and development partners; uncertainties associated with the clinical development and regulatory approval of product candidates; uncertainties in obtaining successful clinical results for product candidates and unexpected costs that may result therefrom; risks related to the failure to realize any value from product candidates and preclinical programs being developed and anticipated to be developed in light of inherent risks and difficulties involved in successfully bringing product candidates to market; the impact of COVID-19 on our operations, enrollment in and timing of clinical trials; risks related to the inability of the Company to obtain sufficient additional capital to continue to advance these product candidates and its preclinical programs, including in light of current stock market conditions; risk of delisting from Nasdaq; risks related to cybersecurity and data privacy; reliance on collaborators; and risks associated with acquiring and developing additional compounds. These and other risks and uncertainties are more fully described in periodic filings with the SEC, including the factors described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and in other filings that the Company has made and future filings the Company will make with the SEC. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are made only as of the date hereof or as of the dates indicated in the forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.

Corporate Contact

Al Medwar
SVP, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
9 Meters Biopharma, Inc.
investor-relations@9meters.com

Media Contact
Veronica Eames
LifeSci Communications, LLC
veames@lifescicomms.com
203-942-4626

SOURCE: 9 Meters Biopharma, Inc.