New patents issued for core rare disease target indications for crofelemer

Napo has approximately 200 patents issued and pending

Jaguar is supporting investigator-initiated proof-of-concept studies of crofelemer for the rare disease indications of SBS and microvillus inclusion disease (MVID), an ultrarare CDD, in the US, EU, and Middle East/North Africa regions, with results expected in 2024 and 2025

SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / July 8, 2024 / Napo Pharmaceuticals (Napo), a Jaguar Health (NASDAQ:JAGX) (Jaguar) family company, today announced that the European Patent Office and IP Australia, the Australian patent office, have each issued a new patent to Napo. The European patent covers methods for treating SBS, bile acid diarrhea, and diarrhea associated with small intestine resection or gallbladder removal, in patients with an inhibitor of chloride-ion transport such as crofelemer, Napo's novel plant-based prescription drug. The Australian patent covers methods of preventing, ameliorating and/or treating diarrhea associated with CDDs using a proanthocyanidin polymer composition such as crofelemer.

"We are very happy that these patents have been issued and believe that they further enhance our intellectual property protection for crofelemer for our core rare disease target indications of SBS and MVID," said Lisa Conte, Jaguar's founder, president, and CEO.

"As previously announced, Jaguar, with strong leadership and participation from Jaguar family companies Napo and Napo Therapeutics, is supporting investigator-initiated proof-of-concept studies of crofelemer for SBS with intestinal failure and MVID in the US, EU and Middle East/North Africa (MENA) regions, with results expected in 2024 and 2025," Conte said. "In accordance with the guidelines of specific EU countries, published data from clinical investigations in SBS and MVID could support early patient access to crofelemer for these debilitating conditions in those countries."

Some SBS patients are subject to intestinal failure, often requiring parenteral nutrition (PN) from a few days up to 7 days a week. Intestinal failure is associated with significant morbidity and mortality; and high medical expenses associated with PN. SBS patients with intestinal failure also have severe chronic diarrhea, and the associated sequelae from diarrhea, including significant dehydration, metabolic acidosis or alkalosis and malnutrition, and other secondary symptoms, and these symptoms emerge either early or late, and many times become life-threatening.

MVID, an ultrarare CDD, is a severe infantile disease characterized by diarrhea, malabsorption, and acid/base instability, requiring intensive parenteral support for nutritional and fluid management, and there are currently no approved drug treatments.

As with all potential follow-on indications, Jaguar and Napo prioritize IP protection. Napo currently holds approximately 152 patents and approximately 43 patents pending. To date, crofelemer is the only oral plant-based prescription medicine approved under the FDA's Botanical Guidance, which provides an important additional exclusivity advantage due to the inherent practicalities limiting the pathway by which a generic version of the drug could be produced.

About Crofelemer

Crofelemer is a novel, oral plant-based prescription medicine purified from the red bark sap, also referred to as "dragon's blood," of the Croton lechleri tree in the Amazon Rainforest. Napo Pharmaceuticals has established a sustainable harvesting program, under fair trade practices, for crofelemer to ensure a high degree of quality, ecological integrity, and support for indigenous communities.

About the Jaguar Health Family of Companies

Jaguar Health, Inc. (Jaguar) is a commercial stage pharmaceuticals company focused on developing novel proprietary prescription medicines sustainably derived from plants from rainforest areas for people and animals with gastrointestinal distress, specifically associated with overactive bowel, which includes symptoms such as chronic debilitating diarrhea, urgency, bowel incontinence, and cramping pain. Jaguar family company Napo Pharmaceuticals (Napo) focuses on developing and commercializing human prescription pharmaceuticals for essential supportive care and management of neglected gastrointestinal symptoms across multiple complicated disease states. Napo's crofelemer is FDA-approved under the brand name Mytesi^® for the symptomatic relief of noninfectious diarrhea in adults with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy. Crofelemer also is the subject of Napo's phase 3 OnTarget clinical trial for preventive treatment of cancer therapy-related diarrhea (CTD). Jaguar family company Napo Therapeutics is an Italian corporation Jaguar established in Milan, Italy in 2021 focused on expanding crofelemer access in Europe and specifically for orphan and/or rare diseases. Jaguar Animal Health is a Jaguar tradename. Magdalena Biosciences, a joint venture formed by Jaguar and Filament Health Corp. that emerged from Jaguar's Entheogen Therapeutics Initiative (ETI), is focused on developing novel prescription medicines derived from plants for mental health indications.

For more information about:

Jaguar Health, visit https://jaguar.health
Napo Pharmaceuticals, visit www.napopharma.com
Napo Therapeutics, visit napotherapeutics.com
Magdalena Biosciences, visit magdalenabiosciences.com

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Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements." These include statements regarding Jaguar's expectation that results of investigator-initiated proof-of-concept studies of crofelemer for SBS with intestinal failure and MVID will be available in 2024 and 2025, and Jaguar's expectation that, in accordance with the guidelines of specific EU countries, published data from such clinical investigations could support early patient access to crofelemer for SBS or MVID. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "plan," "aim," "anticipate," "could," "intend," "target," "project," "contemplate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. The forward-looking statements in this release are only predictions. Jaguar has based these forward-looking statements largely on its current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release and are subject to several risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified and some of which are beyond Jaguar's control. Except as required by applicable law, Jaguar does not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

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SOURCE: Jaguar Health, Inc.