VG Life Sciences' peptide awarded US patent for HIV treatment

VG Life Sciences, Inc. is a publicly traded (VGLS) biotechnology company focused on developing treatments for patients suffering autoimmune and infectious diseases.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued on October 15, 2013 Patent No.: US 8,557,764 covering the VG Life Sciences' peptide VG1177 for treating HIV infection. The VG1177 peptide prevents the survival of pro-inflammatory cells under conditions where inflammation is unwanted, thereby allowing the body's natural containment systems to provide protection from harm.

The hallmarks of chronic HIV infections are chronic inflammation and loss of CD4 T cells. Thus this patent may have important implications for treating inflammation associated with HIV infection and AIDS.

The patent will be issued to the University of Colorado (CU) and has been licensed exclusively to VG Life Sciences as a result of the invention filed by VG Life Sciences' Lead Scientist, Dr. M. Karen Newell Rogers, PhD, during her tenure at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs.  Dr. Newell Rogers is currently at Texas A&M University College of Medicine and Baylor Scott and White Health Care.

The patent abstract reads as follows:

"The invention relates to methods for modulating the immune function through targeting of CLIP molecules as well as gamma delta T cells. The result is wide range of new therapeutic regimens for treating, inhibiting the development of, or otherwise dealing with, a multitude of illnesses and conditions, including autoimmune disease, transplant and cell graft rejection, cancer, bacterial infection, HIV infection, and AIDS, as well as novel methods of diagnosis and of introducing a treatment regimen into a subject."

John Tynan, VG Life Sciences' President and CEO said, "First, this is a great recognition of Dr. Newell Rogers' hard work and ground breaking research. Second, this reflects our commitment to expand and secure our IP portfolio."