Celladon Corporation Receives Patent from United States Patent and Trademark Office

SAN DIEGO, July 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Celladon Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative treatments for cardiovascular diseases, announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued U.S. Patent No. 8,221,738 with claims that cover the administration of MYDICAR, Celladon's first in class drug under clinical evaluation for advanced heart failure. The patent, titled "Methods of enhanced uptake of viral vectors in the myocardium" carries a patent term to at least March, 2030. A similar application has been filed with the EU Patent Office (EPO).

"This is yet another important addition to our evolving patent portfolio for MYDICAR. The allowance further strengthens MYDICAR's market exclusivity protection in the United States" said Krisztina Zsebo Ph.D., President and CEO of Celladon Corp. "This is the second important patent granted to MYDICAR this year and we will continue the pursuit of additional patent grants relevant to our products on a global basis."

About MYDICAR

MYDICAR is a genetically targeted enzyme replacement therapy intended to restore levels of SERCA2a, a regulator of calcium cycling in the heart and cardiac contractility. SERCA2a levels decline in all forms of late-stage heart failure resulting in deficient heart function. With MYDICAR, the SERCA2a gene is delivered using recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) as the vector. AAV is a naturally occurring virus not associated with any disease in humans. MYDICAR is delivered in a single dose directly to the heart during a routine outpatient cardiac catheterization procedure, similar to an angiogram. MYDICAR is synergistic and additive across current heart failure treatments such as ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, sprinolactone/diuretics, and biventricular pacing devices. No treatment substitution decision is required by the treating physician.

About Heart Failure

Chronic heart failure is a leading cause of hospitalization and is expected to result in direct and indirect costs of $39.2 billion to the U.S. healthcare system in 2010. Nearly 6 million people in the U.S. have heart failure, and at least 670,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year. Heart failure leads to about 280,000 deaths annually. The most common symptoms of heart failure are shortness of breath, feeling tired and swelling in the ankles, feet, legs and sometimes the abdomen. There is no cure.

SOURCE Celladon Corporation