US Patent allowance for PTSD discovery programme

Solvonis Therapeutics plc (LSE: SVNS), an emerging biopharmaceutical company developing novel medicines for high-burden central nervous system ("CNS") disorders, announces that it has received a Notice of Allowance (the "Allowance") from the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") for a series of compounds within its proprietary SVN-SDN-14 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ("PTSD") discovery programme. One compound from this series is currently being evaluated alongside other candidates, with a lead compound expected to be selected in Q1 2026 in line with prior guidance.

The Allowance strengthens the intellectual property foundations of SVN-SDN-14 at an important stage as the programme advances toward lead-candidate selection. In addition to this IP milestone, the Company is highlighting the scientific significance of the newly protected compounds in addressing long-standing challenges in the development of next-generation PTSD therapeutics.

Scientific significance

SVN-SDN-14 is focused on developing serotonin ("SERT"), dopamine ("DAT") and noradrenaline ("NET") modulators designed to support pro-social engagement and improve the effectiveness of psychological therapy in PTSD.

While balanced modulation of these pathways is increasingly recognised as therapeutically valuable, translating this biology into a practical medicine has historically been difficult. Key challenges have included controlling duration of action, managing variability between patients, and ensuring compatibility with scalable, real-world clinical use.

The newly allowed patent covers a novel chemical series designed to retain the core SERT, DAT and NET activity underpinning the programme, while introducing greater pharmacological control through predictable metabolic deactivation. This approach is intended to maintain therapeutic effects while improving dosing flexibility, safety margins and overall suitability for clinical use.

In allowing the claims, the USPTO examiner concluded that no existing patents or publications disclosed or suggested the claimed compounds, confirming the novelty of the approach.

Professor David Nutt, Chief Scientific Officer of Solvonis, commented: "These compounds are scientifically exciting because they address a long-standing challenge in this field. They are designed to preserve the monoaminergic profile that supports positive social engagement in therapy, while introducing a level of pharmacokinetic control that has historically been difficult to achieve. This increases our confidence that the core biology of SVN-SDN-14 can be translated into a medicine that is practical to develop, regulate and ultimately deploy."

Anthony Tennyson, Chief Executive Officer of Solvonis, added: "This patent allowance strengthens both the scientific and commercial foundations of our PTSD programme. It reflects our strategy of combining rigorous neuroscience with disciplined medicinal chemistry to build differentiated, scalable CNS therapeutics."