Azitra, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company specializing in dermatology, has secured a U.S. patent (No. 12,036,248) for its potential treatment of atopic dermatitis, a common skin condition affecting approximately 16.5 million individuals in the United States. The patent covers therapeutic applications of recombinant skin microorganisms.
In addition, Azitra has received allowances for three patents in the U.S., Canada, and China. Travis Whitfill, Azitra’s COO and inventor of the patents, stated that the new protections expand their market reach in key regions and cover the treatment of filaggrin-deficient diseases, including mild to moderate atopic dermatitis.
Azitra is developing live biotherapeutic products that target specific skin diseases using precision dermatology. In patients with atopic dermatitis, filaggrin levels may be deficient or abnormal. Azitra’s topical treatment aims to directly address this pathophysiology by delivering filaggrin to the skin.
The product candidate consists of a functional unit of the human filaggrin protein attached to a cell-penetrating peptide. This allows for stable delivery of filaggrin to the skin, promoting deeper penetration. It is similar to Azitra’s ATR-12 product candidate, which delivers a Lympho-epithelial Kazal-type-related inhibitor (LEKTI) for Netherton syndrome, a condition caused by missing LEKTI.
Azitra has commenced a first-in-human study of ATR-12 for adult Netherton syndrome patients. With the recent patent issuances and allowances, Azitra now holds 4 granted U.S. patents, 14 granted international patents, 9 pending U.S. patent applications, and 44 pending international patent applications, strengthening its intellectual property protection globally.
Jon Napitupulu is Director of Media Relations at The Clinical Trial Vanguard. Jon, a computer data scientist, focuses on the latest clinical trial industry news and trends.
