Longeveron Inc. has issued a notice of its intent to grant the Company a patent (EP Application No. 15861319.0) related to methods to treat endothelial dysfunction and monitor the efficacy of allogeneic mesenchymal cell therapies, also known as medicinal signaling cells (MSCs). The cells are administered to patients with cardiovascular disease through the monitoring of a protein, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), which is a signal protein produced by many cells that stimulates the formation of blood vessels.

The Company is evaluating the use of MSCs to treat several indications, including Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), a rare and life-threatening congenital heart defect that affects approximately 1,000 babies per year. Longeveron received both a Rare Pediatric Disease Designation and Orphan Drug Designation from the United States Food and Drug Administration in 2021 for Lomecel-B(TM) for the treatment of infants with HLHS. Longeveron is currently evaluating Lomecel-B(TM) for HLHS in a Phase 2a trial.

Longeveron is also conducting a trial of Lomecel-B(TM) in patients with Alzheimer's Disease in the US and for aging frailty in Japan. Now that the European Patent Office has issued an Intention to Grant, Longeveron will await grant of the patent and then begin the process of registering the patent in a number of nation members of the European Patent Organization. In those jurisdictions where the patent is registered, the patent is expected to expire in November of 2035.