Stellar Biotechnologies Receives Patent Allowance for Non-Lethal Hemocyanin Extraction Method.

PORT HUENEME, Calif. -- Stellar Biotechnologies, Inc., a developer of hemocyanin-based immunogenic carrier proteins for anti-cancer vaccines and other therapeutic and preventative vaccine applications, today announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its patent application entitled "Non-lethal Method for Extracting Crude Hemocyanin from Gastropod Molluscs." The patent, when issued, will protect a key component of Stellar's technology related to the production of keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) for vaccines, and it will significantly strengthen the company's intellectual property position.

"The method embodied in this patent is critical to the large-scale production of KLH for commercial vaccines, and we are continuing to pursue additional patent protection for this technology overseas," said Frank Oakes, inventor of the extraction method and Chairman of the company. David Spaulding, Ph.D., CEO of Stellar, added, "This patent is one of the cornerstones of Stellar's intellectual property portfolio for the KLH molecule, and we are pleased with the broad scope of the claims allowed."

The company's lead product, KLH, is a highly immunogenic, T cell-dependent protein used as a vaccine platform or "carrier" molecule for vaccine antigens. Commercial success for KLH-based therapeutic vaccines, several of which are in the advanced stages of clinical testing, will place demands upon KLH supplies that cannot be fulfilled by lethal harvesting of wild source animals. Stellar's patented non-lethal extraction method, applied to aqua-cultured source animals, enables commercial-scale production of the KLH molecule from a controlled colony of animals.

Anti-cancer vaccines are at the forefront of new immunological therapies for cancer, and KLH-based vaccines now in advanced clinical trials are showing promise against lymphoma, breast, colon and other cancers. By combining KLH with tumor-associated antigens, anti-cancer vaccines may be formulated to overcome the immune system's tolerance of "self" antigens, resulting in robust immunological anti-tumor responses. KLH also has shown promise as a carrier protein in vaccines using pathogen antigens for prevention of infectious diseases and biodefense applications.

Stellar Biotechnologies, Inc., of Port Hueneme, CA, is a privately held biopharmaceutical supply company dedicated to the development and production of commercial-scale KLH products for the vaccine industry. The company applies its proprietary technologies and expertise in commercial aquaculture systems, molluscan reproductive biology, and biomolecule purification to the production of KLH under GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) from captive Megathura crenulata.