BioVersys Announces Important BV100 Patent Granted by Chinese Patent Office

BASEL, Switzerland, March 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

• Important patent around BioVersys’ BV100 drug candidate has been granted, protecting the proprietary rifabutin IV formulation technology in China
• BV100 patents have now been granted in over 25 countries, including in US, Europe, UK and China

BioVersys AG (SIX: BIOV), a multi-asset, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on research and development of novel antibacterial products for serious life-threatening infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, announced today, that the company was granted important patent claims in China for its BV100 technology.

BV100 is a novel formulation of rifabutin which is suitable for intravenous administration. BV100 is based on the newly identified mode of action for the active uptake of rifabutin into the Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex and is being developed for resistant hospital infections caused by Acinetobacter baumannii, including carbapenem resistant strains (CRAB).

There is a serious lack of effective and safe treatment options for CRAB infections and mortality rates in hospitals can be as high as 50%. CRAB has been designated a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While CRAB infections are a serious health threat throughout the world, incidence rates for Acinetobacter infections are particularly high in China and Asia, combined with very high resistance rates of 60-80%. Based on recent epidemiology data, BioVersys expects > 1 million patients annually in China alone suffering from severe CRAB pneumonia and blood stream infections.

Dr. Marc Gitzinger, Chief Executive Officer: “With the addition of China, we now have patents protecting BV100 granted in all the major markets, covering more than 25 countries. In our commitment to bring BV100 as life-saving medicine to patients as fast as possible, this addition to our patent coverage is key due to the absolute numbers of patients affected by Acinetobacter infections in China. We are preparing to start a Phase 1 clinical trial in China soon, which will enable us to include China in our BV100 Phase 3 registration trial which is planned to start in H2 2025. Accessing the Chinese market will allow BV100 to target a global peak sales potential of USD 800 million and tackle unacceptably high carbapenem resistance rates and associated high mortality rates of up to 50%, from Acinetobacter baumannii hospital infections.”

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