Enzolytics Inc (ENZC)

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From Science Immunology:

We compared the binding epitopes of SP1-77 with those of the LY-CoV1404 (bebtelovimab) and S309 neutralizing antibodies. The RBD epitope targeted by SP1-77 overlapped very modestly with that of the LY-CoV1404, which is currently approved for therapeutic use (Fig. 4C) (14). The RBD-binding site of LY-CoV1404 included the 440–445 segment of the RBD that was also bound by SP1-77 (Fig. 4C). Similar to SP1-77, LY-CoV1404 potently neutralizes all currently known VOCs (14). However, the bulk of the LY-CoV1404 footprint overlaps with the RBM, which mechanistically allows LY-CoV1404 to achieve neutralization by blocking ACE2 binding. S309 and its sotrovimab derivative, previously used therapeutically, bind outside of the RBM (23). However, S309 is quite distinct from SP1-77 in that it fails to neutralize Omicron BA.2 in vitro (48), although it does prevent BA.2 infection in vivo through utilization of Fc effector function interactions (49). In this regard, the S309 footprint covered both the 339–346 and 440–451 segments that were also in the SP1-77 footprint, with the long axis of the S309 footprint aligning along the exposed ridge of the RBD in the closed S trimer (Fig. 4C). However, the same axis of the SP1-77 footprint was almost perpendicular to that of S309, which made it possible for SP1-77 to reach the NTD (Fig. 4B).

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.add5446



Enzolytics Patent Portfolio and Strategy


As of August 19, 2022, the Company has three (3) pending Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Patent applications covering its fully human monoclonal antibodies targeting the CoronaVirus and HIV. Additional patent applications are being prepared to cover the numerous viruses against which the Company plans to produce monoclonal antibodies.

In the first PCT Patent Office Official Action on the Company’s International Patent Application covering its discovery and exclusive claim to conserved antigens and epitopes of the HIV virus, the PCT International Search Report concluded that inventions claimed therein are novel and inventive and thus will expectedly be issued in final international patents. The Company’s International Patent application covers (1) the discovered highly conserved antigens and epitopes (sites) on the HIV virus, (2) antibodies that bind to the disclosed antigens and epitopes, (3) vaccines based on the antigens, (4) methods of treating, preventing, or reducing the risks of HIV infection with the antigens or binding proteins, and (5) methods and kits for detecting or diagnosing infection by HIV using the antigens or binding proteins.

The Company discovered the claimed virus sites through computer analysis (Artificial Intelligence (A.I.)), wherein tens of thousands of HIV isolates were curated to identify these critical, conserved, immutable epitopes on the virus. These sites are now claimed as patentable based on their novel specificity and the finding that they are conserved on the HIV virus. This is significant in that by producing antibodies that attack these conserved, immutable sites, the virus can be neutralized rather than unaffected due to virus mutation that avoids the therapeutic.

The Company is producing fully human monoclonal antibodies against these claimed sites. The International Patent Office has now confirmed these discoveries to be novel and inventive, capable of being patented and claimed exclusively for a 20-year term in every member country under the Patent Cooperation Treat in which the Company pursues these claims.

Due to the novel nature of the Company’s discoveries, the Company fully expects the same favorable results in the PCT Patent Office for its pending applications covering epitopes (binding sites) on the CoronaVirus (covering all variants), on the Monkeypox Virus, and on numerous animal viruses, namely Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), Elephant Endotheliotropic Virus, Equine Infectious Anemia, and Koala Retrovirus. The Company fully expects the issuance of multiple international patents covering these discoveries.

The Company's PCT applications also cover the identification of highly conserved antigens and epitopes of these viruses that can be used in the production of antibodies and the production of vaccines for treating, preventing, or reducing the risks of infections caused by these viruses.

The patents also cover the discovery of using these identified antigens and epitopes as targets for detecting and diagnosing viral infection. This is a significant development since these patents cover treatment and prevention and target detecting and diagnosing infections for all viruses pursued by Enzolytics.

In the Company's unique process, computer analysis (A.I.) was used to identify conserved, immutable epitopes on the target virus utilizing Enzolytics' proprietary A.I. platform invented by Dr. Gaurav Chandra, the Company COO. The sequences (structure) of over 87,500 HIV isolates were analyzed in the initial A.I. step for HIV, and for the Coronavirus, over 2 million SARS-CoV-2 virus isolates were curated. In the case of HIV, eight (8) epitopes (target sites) were identified and claimed in the Company's PCT application. As a part of this process, 3 Dimensional models of these conserved targets were generated, and the targets were analyzed for linearity, accessibility by antibodies, and neutralizability by antibodies. From this, Enzolytics' scientists are producing multiple broadly neutralizing antibodies targeting these multiple conserved, immutable epitopes on the targeted virus. As a result, the monoclonal antibodies produced against these targets will be universal, durable, broadly neutralizing, and unaffected by virus mutation. In the case of SARS-CoV-2, nineteen (19) conserved sites were identified and are claimed in the Company's pending PCT applications.

The Company considers the forthcoming patent protection highly significant in view of the following facts:

For a monoclonal antibody to be effective (that is, to be fully capable of neutralizing a virus), it must target an immutable site on the virus. Otherwise, a virus mutation will render the therapeutic ineffective.

The Company has analyzed over 2 million Coronavirus isolates and over 87,000 HIV isolates and has identified 19 conserved sites (98 to 99% conserved) on the Coronavirus and 8 conserved sites on the HIV virus.

The Company's patent claims cover these findings. From the most recent PCT International Patent Office Action, claims have been recognized as novel and Inventive. They thus can be expected to issue in the U.S. and many foreign countries pursued. The Company claims the use of anyone identified epitope or any combination of any of the multiple identified epitopes in any of the following ways:

For producing a therapeutic monoclonal antibody to treat HIV or the CoronaVirus.

For producing a vaccine against HIV or the CoronaVirus.

For producing related prophylactic/therapeutic methods relating to the epitopes/antigens.

For use in any diagnostic test to identify whether a person has HIV or the Coronavirus.



The term of these NDAs is not time limited. The term extends until the later of five (5) years from the Effective Date or "until such time as the proprietary information is publicly known and made generally available". This provision is necessary because under Patent Laws an issued patent may be invalidated where the patent is filed subsequent to public disclosure of the invention claimed. In view of this limitation, the Company makes no public disclosure of information subject to NDAs and inventions covered by them. Additionally, certain technical information shared with companies with whom the Company has entered into an NDA may not be included in a patent application, but rather the subject technical information is maintained as Company confidential ("secret") indefinitely. Also, in these Agreements, the parties generally agree not to reveal the names of the contracting parties for a specified period.

A few questions?

Are the epitopes Boston Children/Duke using patent protected by ENZC?

Are Boston Children/Duke in a relationship with ENZC.