LAG-3 antagonists by cancer treatment: a patent review

ABSTRACT

Introduction: LAG-3 is checkpoint inhibitor in cancer that coordinates the downregulation of the proliferation of antigen-specific lymphocytes. There is a great need to discover and develop new therapies focused on inhibiting the action of LAG-3 and consequently improving the immune response in the various types of cancer.

Areas covered: The patent literature reveals novel therapies, which provide information on cancer therapies. The authors used the patent databases of the six main patent offices of the world: United States Patent and Trademark Office, European Patent Office, World Intellectual Property Organization, Japan Patent Office, State Intellectual Property Office of China and Korean Intellectual Property Office, to generate a detailed landscape of patents and patent applications of active companies related to LAG-3 inhibitors. Specific patents have been grouped into innovative patents and adopting patents.

Expert opinion: There is a continuing development of LAG-3 inhibitors, and these inhibitors are being used in combination with other cancer treatment schemes, for example, antibodies against PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4. Immutep and IO Therapeutics were the leaders in generating innovator patents, followed by Gustave Roussy Institute, and Applied Research Systems ARS. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute was the leader in the generation of adopter patents, followed by Novartis .

KEYWORDS:

• LAG-3
• cancer
• immunotherapy
• patent
• checkpoint
• immuno-oncology

Article highlights

• Patents trend related to LAG-3 shows a high number of adopters patent compared to innovators patent.

• USA is the leader in the generation of adopters and innovators patent.

• Immutep is a leading enterprise in innovator patents.

• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leading enterprise in adopters patent.

• The vast majority of clinical trials of LAG-3 antagonists in cancer are still in the recruitment phase, and none of these trials has completed phase 3.

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Mexican people for the support, through their taxes, provided for the development of this article.

Authors’ contributions

M Perez-Santos designed the study and obtained data of Figure 1-4; M Anaya-Ruiz designed the study and analyzed data of Figure 1-2; J Cevada analyzed data of Figure 3; C Bandala analyzed data of Figure 3; G Landeta analyzed information of first five patents in Table 1, P Martínez-Morales analyzed the information of patents 6-10 of Table 1, and N Villa-Ruano analyzed the information in patents 11-14 of Table 1. All authors contributed to the writing of the manuscript.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.