Company Tied to Amgen Gains Patent on Protein

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. said it has been awarded a patent covering the gene for a biotechnology-based protein that Regeneron and Amgen Inc. are developing to treat neurological diseases.

The patent also was awarded to the Max Planck Institute, which has licensed the technology exclusively to Regeneron.

Regeneron, a fledgling biotechnology company based in Tarrytown, N. Y., and Amgen hope that the protein--called brain derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF--can be used to treat Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other maladies.

Amgen, the Thousand Oaks-based biotechnology giant, also has invested more than $18 million in Regeneron to help finance its research. Regeneron said it plans to begin clinical trials of BDNF in the latter half of this year.