Arcturus Therapeutics Receives Intent to Grant Notice from the European Patent Office for their Unlocked Nucleomonomer Agent (UNA) Technology

SAN DIEGO, March 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc. ("Arcturus" or the "Company"), a leading RNA medicines company, announced today that the European Patent Office (EPO) has issued a notice of its intent to grant the Company's fundamental UNA Oligomer™ technology (EP Application No. 08780679.0), titled "Oligomers for Therapeutics."

"We are delighted with the decision by the EPO to grant the new claims, as this exemplifies our continued commitment and investment toward the advancement of novel technology," said Dr. Pad Chivukula, CSO & COO of Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc. "The receipt of the intent to grant of our European patent confirms and strengthens our position in the field of RNA therapeutics."

UNA Oligomer™ technology is a leading chemistry in the field of next generation oligonucleotide and RNA therapeutics, and the European patent will broadly cover Arcturus' UNA Oligomer therapeutics for the following:

• UNA Oligomer™ therapeutics provide a new class of drug molecules.
• UNA Oligomers may contain any one of a number of nucleotide analogs.
• The patent claims designate coverage for both double-stranded and single-stranded oligotherapeutics.
• The patent claims also expand intellectual property protection to a variety of UNA monomers and chemistry.
• Claims to be granted include pharmaceutical compositions of UNA therapeutic agents.

UNA chemistry technology can be applied toward all types of RNA medicines including messenger RNA, small interfering RNA, microRNA and gene editing RNA therapeutics.

"Arcturus is excited to enable and significantly advance the field of gene editing therapeutics through the use of UNA-containing mRNA (mUNA) and UNA-modified guide strand RNAs (U-guides)," concludes Dr. Chivukula. 

Arcturus owns the comprehensive suite of UNA technology patents for therapeutic and reagent use, enabling the company to operate freely and to independently pursue RNA therapeutics. Please contact [email protected] regarding any business development, licensing and therapeutic collaboration opportunities.   

About Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc.
Founded in 2013 and based in San Diego, Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc. is an RNA medicines company with enabling technologies — UNA Oligomer™ chemistry and LUNAR™ nanoparticle delivery. Arcturus' versatile RNA therapeutics platform can be applied toward all types of RNA medicines including small interfering RNA, messenger RNA, antisense RNA, microRNA and gene editing therapeutics. The company owns LUNAR™ nanoparticle delivery and unlocked nucleomonomer agent (UNA) technology including UNA Oligomers™, which are covered by its patent portfolio (77 patents and patent applications, issued in the U.S., Europe, Japan and other countries). Arcturus' proprietary UNA technology can be used to target any gene in the human genome, as well as viral genes, and other species for therapeutic purposes. The Company's commitment to the development of novel RNA therapeutics has led to collaborations and license agreements with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (A Johnson and Johnson Company) and Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Inc. For more information, visit www.ArcturusRx.com.

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SOURCE Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc.

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