USPTO Grants Acurx Pharmaceuticals New Patent for DNA Polymerase IIIC Inhibitors

Rhea-AI Summary

Acurx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ACXP) announced that the USPTO granted U.S. patent US 12,534,470 covering DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors, including compositions, methods of use, and pharmaceutical formulations. This adds to four U.S. patents and granted patents in Israel, Japan, India, and Australia.

The company says its lead DNA pol IIIC inhibitor, ibezapolstat, is Phase 3-ready for oral C. difficile treatment, and preclinical compounds show microbiome selectivity versus linezolid and systemic absorption supporting potential oral and parenteral use across multiple serious infection indications.

Positive

• USPTO granted US 12,534,470 covering DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors
• Patent portfolio now includes 4 U.S. patents plus grants in Israel, Japan, India, Australia
• Ibezapolstat is Phase 3-ready for oral treatment of C. difficile infection
• Preclinical microbiome selectivity data vs linezolid suggests a possible class effect
• New preclinical compounds show systemic absorption supporting oral and parenteral routes

Negative

• None.

Key Figures

New U.S. patent number: US 12,534,470 Total U.S. patents: 4 U.S. patents International patent coverage: 5 countries +5 more

8 metrics

New U.S. patent number US 12,534,470 USPTO patent covering DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors

Total U.S. patents 4 U.S. patents Patents protecting ACX-375C DNA Polymerase IIIC program

International patent coverage 5 countries Granted patents in Israel, Japan, India, and Australia plus U.S.

Lead program stage Phase 3-ready Ibezapolstat for oral treatment of C. difficile infection

Price change -5.21% Move over prior 24 hours before this patent news

52-week range $2.3252–$21.00 Pre-news 52-week low and high

Market cap $5,858,542 Pre-news equity value based on latest close

Shelf registration size $50 million Aggregate capacity under Form S-3 replacement shelf

Market Reality Check

Price: $2.37 Vol: Volume 58,603 is 1.15x th...

normal vol

$2.37 Last Close

Volume Volume 58,603 is 1.15x the 20-day average of 50,769, indicating slightly elevated trading interest pre‑announcement. normal

Technical Shares at $2.365 are trading below the 200-day MA of $5.89 and sit close to the 52-week low of $2.3252, far from the $21 52-week high.

Peers on Argus

ACXP’s -5.21% move occurred alongside mixed biotech peers: NCNA -6.34%, TNFA -9....

1 Down

ACXP’s -5.21% move occurred alongside mixed biotech peers: NCNA -6.34%, TNFA -9.72%, AIM -0.86%, PMCB -0.97%, while ARTL rose 8.92%. With only one momentum-scanner peer (SILO -4.81%) and divergent moves, trading appears more stock-specific than sector-driven.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Nov 18 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Nov 18	Research grant award	Positive	+2.8%	Health~Holland research grant for POLSTOP4MDRO and structural biology work.
Nov 12	Earnings and update	Neutral	-10.8%	Q3 2025 results, reverse split effects, cash balance and financing activity.
Nov 10	Clinical publication	Positive	+11.0%	Nature Communications paper and strong Phase 2 ibezapolstat data in C. difficile.
Oct 28	Conference data	Positive	-4.5%	IDWeek 2025 microbiome data suggesting class effect for DNA pol IIIC inhibitors.
Oct 27	Earnings call notice	Neutral	+1.4%	Announcement of date and logistics for Q3 2025 earnings conference call.

Pattern Detected

Recent ACXP news has more often seen price moves align with fundamentally positive or neutral catalysts, with only one clear divergence on favorable clinical data.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, Acurx highlighted multiple advances around its DNA pol IIIC inhibitor platform. A Nov 10, 2025 Nature Communications publication and strong Phase 2 ibezapolstat data coincided with a +10.99% move, while an IDWeek 2025 dataset on microbiome selectivity on Oct 28, 2025 saw a -4.55% reaction despite constructive content. Grants, patents and corporate updates on Oct 27, Nov 12 and Nov 18, 2025 produced smaller moves in both directions. Today’s new USPTO patent further extends this IP trajectory for DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors.

Regulatory & Risk Context

Active S-3 Shelf · $50 million

Shelf Active

Active S-3 Shelf Registration 2025-07-09

$50 million registered capacity

ACXP has an effective Form S-3 shelf filed on Jul 9, 2025, permitting issuance of up to $50 million in various securities over three years. The company has already used this shelf at least once via a Nov 10, 2025 prospectus supplement, providing flexibility for future capital raises that could be dilutive depending on structure and pricing.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement adds a new U.S. patent, US 12,534,470, to Acurx’s portfolio, bringing total U.S. c...

Analysis

This announcement adds a new U.S. patent, US 12,534,470, to Acurx’s portfolio, bringing total U.S. coverage to four patents and complementing protection in several other countries for the ACX‑375C DNA Polymerase IIIC program. It reinforces the company’s focus on difficult-to-treat Gram-positive infections, with ibezapolstat already described as Phase 3-ready for C. difficile. Investors may monitor future patent grants, clinical trial initiations, and any use of the $50M shelf registration as key forward-looking markers.

Key Terms

dna polymerase iiic, compositions-of-matter, pharmaceutical compositions, ai-supported drug discovery platform, +1 more

5 terms

dna polymerase iiic medical

"covers DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors including compositions‑of‑matter, methods of use"

DNA polymerase IIIC is an enzyme bacteria use to copy their DNA during cell division, acting like the assembly line worker that lays down new building blocks. For investors it matters because medicines that block this enzyme can stop bacterial growth, making it a drug target for new antibiotics; progress or setbacks in such programs can affect company value and commercial prospects.

compositions-of-matter regulatory

"covers DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors including compositions‑of‑matter, methods of use"

Compositions-of-matter are chemically defined substances or mixtures—think of them as a company’s “recipe” for a new drug, material, or chemical product. For investors, listed compositions-of-matter often indicate patent-protected assets that can create exclusive sales or licensing income, raise valuation, and affect competitive risk if the patent is challenged or expires, similar to how owning a secret recipe can give a bakery a temporary market edge.

pharmaceutical compositions medical

"including compositions‑of‑matter, methods of use, and pharmaceutical compositions, further"

A pharmaceutical composition is the finished drug product made by combining an active medicine with other ingredients so it can be safely stored, handled and delivered to patients — for example a tablet, injection, cream or inhaler. Investors care because the exact “recipe” and form affect how well the medicine works, how hard it is to manufacture, whether it qualifies for patents and regulatory approval, and therefore the product’s commercial potential; think of it like the difference between a homemade recipe and a professionally packaged, shelf-stable product.

ai-supported drug discovery platform technical

"extends our patent estate protection as we further develop our innovative, AI-supported drug"

A system that uses advanced computer learning to analyze biological and chemical data and suggest promising molecules or targets for new medicines. Think of it as a high-powered research assistant that scans vast amounts of lab and literature data to generate and prioritize drug ideas more quickly and cheaply than traditional methods. Investors care because it can shorten development timelines, lower costs, and raise the odds that a research program produces a valuable drug candidate.

community-acquired bacterial pneumonia medical

"ABSSSI, including MRSA), Community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), hospital and/or"

A lung infection caused by bacteria that a person catches outside of hospitals or long-term care settings, often presenting with cough, fever and difficulty breathing. For investors, it matters because its incidence drives demand for antibiotics, vaccines, diagnostic tests and hospital services, shapes clinical trial markets and influences regulatory and reimbursement decisions—similar to how seasonal demand affects sales for a common consumer product.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y., Feb. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACXP) ("Acurx" or the "Company"), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of small molecule antibiotics for difficult‑to‑treat bacterial infections, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted a new U.S. patent, US 12,534,470. This latest patent, which covers DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors including compositions‑of‑matter, methods of use, and pharmaceutical compositions, further strengthens Acurx's intellectual property portfolio and represents the most recent addition to its expanding series of granted patents in the U.S. and abroad. To date, Acurx has secured four U.S. patents, along with granted patents in Israel, Japan, India, and Australia, all of which protect key aspects of the Company's ACX‑375C program targeting DNA Polymerase IIIC. Additional country‑level patent applications remain under review.

Robert J. DeLuccia, Executive Chairman of Acurx, stated: "Achieving this new patent extends our patent estate protection as we further develop our innovative, AI-supported drug discovery platform. We believe Acurx's inventions have the potential to create a transformational shift in the treatment paradigm for serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Recently presented microbiome selectivity data on representative novel compounds from our preclinical pipeline provides initial evidence that microbiome selectivity, when compared to the comparator antibiotic, linezolid, may be a class effect."

He further stated: "While our lead DNA pol IIIC inhibitor, ibezapolstat, is Phase 3-ready for oral treatment of C. difficile Infection, and has validated the bacterial target for DNA pol IIIC inhibitors, initial studies of our new preclinical compounds show that they are systemically absorbed for potential oral and parenteral use in clinical settings such as acute bacterial skin and skin-structure infections (ABSSSI, including MRSA), Community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CABP), hospital and/or ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia (HABP/VABP); bacteremia with or without sepsis and/or infectious endocarditis; bone/joint infections, prosthetic joint infections and inhalational anthrax, caused by B. anthracis, a Bioterrorism Category A Threat-Level pathogen".

About Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Acurx Pharmaceuticals is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing a new class of small molecule antibiotics for difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. The Company's approach is to develop antibiotic candidates with a Gram-positive selective spectrum (GPSS®) that blocks the active site of the Gram-positive specific bacterial enzyme DNA polymerase IIIC (pol IIIC), inhibiting DNA replication and leading to Gram-positive bacterial cell death. Its R&D pipeline includes antibiotic product candidates that target Gram-positive bacteria, including Clostridioides difficile, methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin resistant Enterococcus (VRE), drug- resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (DRSP) and B. anthracis (anthrax; a Bioterrorism Category A Threat-Level pathogen). Acurx's lead product candidate, ibezapolstat, for the treatment of C. difficile Infection is Phase 3 ready with plans in progress to begin international clinical trials as soon as possible. The Company's preclinical pipeline includes development of an oral product candidate for treatment of ABSSSI (Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections), upon which a development program for treatment of inhaled anthrax is being planned in parallel.

To learn more about Acurx Pharmaceuticals and its product pipeline, please visit www.acurxpharma.com

Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements in this press release about our future expectations, plans and prospects, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, prospects, plans and objectives, and other statements containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: whether ibezapolstat will benefit from the QIDP designation; whether ibezapolstat will advance through the clinical trial process on a timely basis; whether the results of the clinical trials of ibezapolstat will warrant the submission of applications for marketing approval, and if so, whether ibezapolstat will receive approval from the FDA or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies where approval is sought; whether, if ibezapolstat obtains approval, it will be successfully distributed and marketed; and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and in the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Acurx disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements, except as may be required by law.

Investor Contact:
Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
David P. Luci, President & CEO
Tel: 917-533-1469
Email: davidluci@acurxpharma.com

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/uspto-grants-acurx-pharmaceuticals-new-patent-for-dna-polymerase-iiic-inhibitors-302675784.html

SOURCE Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

FAQ

What does USPTO patent US 12,534,470 mean for Acurx (ACXP)?

It strengthens Acurx's IP around DNA Polymerase IIIC inhibitors with composition and use claims. According to the company, the patent protects compositions, methods of use, and pharmaceutical formulations and expands its U.S. and international patent estate.

Is ibezapolstat from Acurx (ACXP) ready for Phase 3 trials?

Yes, ibezapolstat is described as Phase 3-ready for oral treatment of C. difficile infection. According to the company, this validates DNA pol IIIC as a bacterial target and supports advancement to pivotal clinical testing.

What clinical indications do Acurx's DNA pol IIIC inhibitors target (ACXP)?

Acurx targets multiple serious infections including C. difficile, ABSSSI (including MRSA), CABP, HABP/VABP, bacteremia, endocarditis, bone/joint infections, and inhalational anthrax. According to the company, preclinical data support broad potential use cases.

Do Acurx's preclinical compounds show advantages over linezolid (ACXP)?

Initial preclinical data report microbiome selectivity when compared to linezolid, suggesting a potential class effect. According to the company, this selectivity was presented on representative novel compounds from their pipeline.

How extensive is Acurx's patent protection for the ACX-375C program (ACXP)?

The company holds four U.S. patents and granted patents in Israel, Japan, India, and Australia for ACX-375C-related inventions. According to the company, additional country-level applications remain under review to expand protection.