Word is just in from the Japanese patent and trademark office: We have been issued important and broad claims protecting our vaccine technology in the Japanese market. This patent follows claims that are already in full force in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Switzerland, and Germany and brings the total number of patents protecting our intellectual property to eight.

The Japanese claims are strategically important for several reasons:

• The Japanese influenza market is a major market.
• There are many multinational Japanese pharmaceutical companies for whom our technology would be of great value and for whom IP protection in their own market as well as the other major world pharmaceutical markets is critical.
• Any non-Japanese acquirer would also highly value protection in the Japanese market.In fulfillment of our strategy to build the strongest intellectual property portfolio for ourselves and for our licensing partner, Monday’s issuance stands as a critical component of our growing patent estate.

In fulfillment of our strategy to build the strongest intellectual property portfolio for ourselves and for our licensing partner, Monday’s issuance stands as a critical component of our growing patent estate.