Swedish clinical-stage pharmaceutical company Diamyd Medical (STO: DMYD-B) announced on Wednesday that the Eurasian Patent Office will grant a patent covering the use of insulin-based antigens for the treatment of type 1 diabetes patients carrying the HLA DR4-DQ8 genetic marker.

The patent will remain valid until 2038.

This development expands Diamyd Medical's intellectual property portfolio, complementing its established foundation for patients with the HLA DR3-DQ2 haplotype. While the company's investigational GAD-specific immunotherapy, Diamyd, is currently in a Phase 3 trial targeting HLA DR3-DQ2, research suggests individuals with HLA DR4-DQ8 may benefit from insulin-specific immunotherapy. Combined, the two haplotypes are found in up to 90% of individuals with type 1 diabetes.

Diamyd Medical already holds granted patents in Europe, Eurasia, Israel, Hong Kong, South Africa, Japan, and South Korea for the use of Diamyd (GAD/alum) in patients with HLA DR3-DQ2, with protection extending to 2038. Additional applications are pending in other markets.

Similarly, patent protection for insulin-based therapies targeting HLA DR4-DQ8 is granted in Europe, South Korea, and Eurasia, with further applications under review globally.