Uppsala, Sweden, 5 November 2026 - Elicera Therapeutics AB (publ) today announces that the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has issued a notice of allowance for a patent application covering the company's CAR T-cell candidate ELC-401 for the treatment of glioblastoma. The patent will provide protection until 2041. Corresponding patent applications have previously been allowed in the United States and granted in Japan. Elicera has thereby secured intellectual property protection for ELC-401 in three of the world's largest pharmaceutical markets.
The patent application covers the component of the company's CAR T-cell therapy ELC-401 that binds to the protein IL-13Rα2. Elicera will hold the exclusive right to develop and commercialize treatments in China based on the technology behind ELC-401, strengthening protection for the drug candidate as well as for similar future products. Elicera also holds a previously granted Chinese patent covering the iTANK platform, meaning that both the tumor-targeting receptor and the iTANK arming of ELC-401 are now protected by patents in China. The patent is expected to be formally granted shortly and will remain in force until 2041.
"Alongside the United States, China is one of the world's leading countries in the development of CAR T-cell therapies and an important market for future partnerships. With today's announcement, ELC-401 now has patent protection in three of the world's largest pharmaceutical markets, and in China this is complemented by our previously granted patent for the iTANK platform. This strengthens our position ahead of the continued development of ELC-401 for glioblastoma, one of the most difficult-to-treat forms of cancer, and increases the candidate's attractiveness in discussions with potential partners," says Johan Liwing, CEO of Elicera Therapeutics