ROCKVILLE, Md. -  Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Inc. a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing best-in-class therapeutics for the treatment of cancer, announced in a press release that it has been issued a US patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for claims related to the synthesis of its novel anti-cancer investigational drug candidate, RX-3117. In preclinical studies, RX-3117 has demonstrated broad spectrum anti-tumor activity, notably in human cancer cell lines that have been made resistant to gemcitabine (Gemzar®), a widely-used type of chemotherapy.  RX-3117 is currently being evaluated in a Phase Ib clinical trial in cancer patients with solid tumors.

"Rexahn is pleased to expand its intellectual property protection for RX-3117, which we believe holds promise as a next generation, highly-targeted cancer therapeutic designed to enhance treatment efficacy while minimizing the toxic side effects seen with traditional anti-cancer drugs," said Dr. Peter D. Suzdak, Chief Executive Officer.   "This latest patent for RX-3117 is an important addition to our intellectual property estate and further strengthens our global patent position for Rexahn's innovative oncology pipeline."