Persica strengthens global IP portfolio with EU patent granted for PP353
London, UK, 11 June 2025 - Persica Pharmaceuticals Limited (Persica), a clinical stage biotechnology company developing a transformative treatment for chronic Low Back Pain (cLBP), today announces that it has been granted a patent by the European Patent Office for PP353, its clinical stage asset.
The new patent, EP3709970, was granted on 14th May 2025 and relates to injectable, thermosensitive hydrogel compositions comprising linezolid for relieving and/or treating cLBP. The patent adds to Persica's extensive worldwide IP portfolio for PP353, with corresponding patents having already been granted in the US, Japan and China. These provide broad global coverage of the product up to 2038 and are supplemented by additional granted and pending patent applications.
Dr Steve Ruston, Chief Executive Officer of Persica Pharmaceuticals Ltd, said: 'PP353 is a ground-breaking therapy which has enormous potential to positively transform the lives of patients by treating the cause of the problem and not just the symptoms. The addition of this EU patent to our suite of IP protection is further recognition of our innovation, and enables us to continue to develop this important new treatment for those who are not helped by existing options.'
In March 2025, Persica announced positive topline data from its Phase 1b Modic Trial, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial assessing the safety and efficacy of PP353 for patients with cLBP associated with Modic Type 1 changes, which may be caused by infection. PP353, a targeted intradiscal antibiotic injection, has the potential to help millions of patients suffering with persistent pain and disability, and to offer an alternative to long-term opioid use for pain relief.
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For further information: ICR Healthcare - Tracy Cheung, Chris Welsh, Emily Johnson persica@icrhealthcare.com
About Persica Pharmaceuticals Persica Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing PP353, a groundbreaking and transformative treatment for chronic Low Back Pain (cLBP) with Modic type 1 changes. Modic changes are a sign of inflammation which is visible, with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, at the vertebral endplate adjacent to a degenerate lumbar disc, and which can extend into the body of the vertebrae. PP353 is a patented, targeted intradiscal antibiotic injection that is delivered directly to the site of infection. It is a non-opioid treatment which addresses an underlying cause of cLBP, rather than just the symptoms, and reduces the need for repeated antibiotic doses.
About PP353 PP353 (intradiscal linezolid) is a suspension of linezolid powder in a thermosensitive vehicle which is liquid at room temperature but increases in viscosity when injected into the site of infection and warmed to body temperature. This increase in viscosity prevents PP353 from leaking out of the degenerate disc into adjacent tissues during injection. PP353 also contains a radio-opaque dye which allows the physician to use image guidance to make sure the gel is positioned correctly in the target disc on injection.
About chronic Low Back Pain with Modic Type 1 changes Chronic Low Back Pain (>3 months) with Modic Type 1 changes is a common patient subgroup (~25% of cLBP). These patients are readily identifiable on MRI and typically suffer from moderate to severe persistent pain and disability with limited relief from the current standard of care e.g. physiotherapy and analgesia including opioids with a prevalence of >2 million patients in the US alone. Current treatment options provide only limited short term relief or involve invasive and non-reversable nerve ablation which does not treat the underlying cause of the pathology, a probable bacterial infection of the disc.
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