Medicenna Strengthens U.S. Patent Estate with Newly Issued and Allowed Patents Across its IL-2, IL-4 and IL-13 Superkine Platforms

TORONTO, June 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medicenna Therapeutics Corp. (“Medicenna” or the “Company”) (TSX: MDNA, OTCQX: MDNAF), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing Superkines for targeting cancer and autoimmune disease, today announced the issuance of two new U.S. patents and the allowance of an additional U.S. patent application covering its proprietary IL-4 and IL-13 Superkine platforms, including bizaxofusp (formerly MDNA55), the Company’s IL-4 Empowered Superkine in clinical development for recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM).

The newly issued U.S. patents, together with parallel patents recently granted in Australia and Canada within the same patent families, further reinforce Medicenna’s intellectual property position across the cytokine biology underlying its lead clinical programs: bizaxofusp, MDNA11 (IL-2 Superkine) and MDNA113 (anti–PD-1 × IL-2 bifunctional Superkine).

“These newly issued and allowed U.S. patents underscore the depth and breadth of the Superkine science Medicenna has built and the strength of the IP estate now protecting the platforms behind bizaxofusp, MDNA11 and MDNA113,” said Dr. Fahar Merchant, President and Chief Executive Officer of Medicenna. “Our cytokine engineering work spans three distinct receptor systems, including IL-2, IL-4 and IL-13 and these grants extend protection into important new applications, including cellular immunotherapy and combination treatment of CNS tumors. With more than 100 active granted patents and applications worldwide, Medicenna has assembled what we believe is one of the most comprehensive patent estates in Superkine-based immunotherapy.”

U.S. Patents Recently Issued

• U.S. Patent No. 12,503,496: “Interleukin-4 Receptor-Binding Fusion Proteins and Uses Thereof” (Medicenna and the U.S. National Institutes of Health, co-owners). The issued patent covers the application of Medicenna’s proprietary IL-4 Superkine fusion proteins to enhancing cellular immunotherapy. With this grant, the family now includes three issued U.S. patents, and additional granted patents in Europe and India.
• U.S. Patent No. 12,590,133: “IL-13/IL-4 Superkines: Immune Cell Targeting Constructs and Methods of Use Thereof” (in-licensed by Medicenna from Stanford University). The issued patent is directed to IL-13 Superkine immune cell targeting constructs, vectors, and engineered cells. The family is now granted in the United States and China, with pending applications in Canada and Europe.

U.S. Patent Recently Allowed

• U.S. Patent Application No. 18/248,601: “Combination Therapy of MDNA55 and a Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor a (VEGF-A)” (Medicenna-owned). Once issued, the patent will cover combinatorial treatment of CNS tumors with bizaxofusp, including with VEGF-A-directed agents. The family also has pending applications in Canada, China, Europe, India, Japan and Korea.

Additional Recent Patent Grants Outside the United States

In parallel with these U.S. milestones, Medicenna recently received patent grants in two additional jurisdictions that extend the geographic rach of its core Superkine families:

• Australian Patent No. 2018347796, “IL-4 Fusion Formulations for Treatment of Central Nervous System (CNS) Tumors,” directed to Medicenna’s proprietary bizaxofusp formulation and its application to the treatment of CNS tumors. This family is now granted in Australia, Europe and the United States, with pending applications in Canada, China and India.
• Canadian Patent No. 3,067,909, “Uses and Methods for IL-2 Superagonists, Agonists, and Fusions Thereof,” directed to the combination of Medicenna’s IL-2 Super Agonist and checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of cancer. This family is now granted in Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States, with additional pending applications in China, Europe and India, as well as further applications in Australia, Japan and the United States.

Medicenna continues to develop a robust global patent portfolio across its R&D platforms and clinical programs, with over 100 active granted patents and applications.

About Medicenna Therapeutics

Medicenna is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company focused on developing novel, highly selective versions of IL-2, IL-4 and IL-13 Superkines and first-in-class Empowered Superkines. Medicenna’s long-acting IL-2 Superkine, MDNA11, is a next-generation IL-2 with superior affinity toward CD122 (IL-2 receptor beta) and no CD25 (IL-2 receptor alpha) binding, thereby preferentially stimulating cancer-killing effector T cells and NK cells. Medicenna’s first-in-class targeted PD-1 x IL-2 bispecific, MDNA113, is in development for solid tumors and was designed using the Company’s proprietary BiSKITs™ (Bifunctional SuperKine ImmunoTherapies) and T-MASK™ (Targeted Metalloprotease Activated SuperKine) platforms. Medicenna’s IL-4 Empowered Superkine, bizaxofusp (formerly MDNA55), has been studied in 5 clinical trials enrolling over 130 patients, including a Phase 2b trial for recurrent GBM, the most common and uniformly fatal form of brain cancer. Bizaxofusp has obtained Fast Track and Orphan Drug status from the FDA and FDA/EMA, respectively.

For more information, please visit www.medicenna.com, and follow us on X and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, express or implied statements regarding the future operations of the Company, estimates, plans, strategic ambitions, partnership activities and opportunities, objectives, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance, outlook or other statements that are not historical facts, such as statements on or in respect of: the therapeutic potential, safety profile and/or other potential biological responses to administration (or lack thereof) of bizaxofusp, MDNA11 and/or MDNA113; any IND submission and/or first-in-human trial for MDNA113 (including any expected timing thereof); the issuance of any patents applied for by the Company, now or in the future (inclidng any expected timing thereof); and any potential sales or revenue generation from the sale or other commercialization of bizaxofusp, MDNA11, MDNA113 or any other PD-1 inhibitors or other products of the Company (including any expected timing thereof). Drug development and commercialization involve a high degree of risk, and only a small number of research and development programs result in commercialization of a product. Results in early-stage pre-clinical or clinical studies may not be indicative of full results or results from later stage or larger scale clinical studies and do not ensure regulatory approval. You should not place undue reliance on these statements, or the scientific data presented.

Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “will”, “may”, “should”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “believe”, “seek”, “potentially” and similar expressions and are subject to risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include the risks detailed in the latest annual information form of the Company and in other filings made by the Company with the applicable securities regulators from time to time in Canada.

The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and except as required by law, the Company does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements.

Investor Contact
Daniel Scarr
Medicenna Therapeutics
[email protected]

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