AIM ImmunoTech Secures Broad U.S. Patent for Rintatolimod (Ampligen®) Used in Combination with Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®), Expanding Oncology IP Protection for Ampligen Through 2039
Rhea-AI Summary
AIM ImmunoTech (NYSE American: AIM) announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted a new patent covering the use of its drug Ampligen (rintatolimod) in combination with the PD‑1 checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for cancer treatment, expiring on December 20, 2039.
The broadest claim covers synergistic combination therapy in which Ampligen plus pembrolizumab produces a greater anti‑cancer effect than either drug alone, across cancer types. Additional claims name multiple cancers, including pancreatic, ovarian, colorectal, breast (including triple‑negative), lung, melanoma, bladder, renal cell carcinoma, head and neck tumors, and skin cancer. AIM also holds related U.S., Netherlands and Japanese patents extending Ampligen’s combination oncology IP with PD‑1/PD‑L1 inhibitors into 2039.
Positive
- New U.S. patent for Ampligen + pembrolizumab granted, expiring December 20, 2039
- Broadest claim covers synergistic cancer treatment beyond specific tumor types
- Multiple cancer indications explicitly claimed, including pancreatic, ovarian, colorectal, breast, lung and others
- Existing U.S., Netherlands and Japanese patents extend combination PD‑1/PD‑L1 oncology IP protection to 2039
Negative
- None.
Market reaction after pembrolizumab patent grant: AIM +19.58%
Following this news, AIM has gained 19.58%, reflecting a significant positive market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +34.0% during the session. Argus tracked a trough of -1.7% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner has triggered 46 alerts so far, indicating elevated trading interest and price volatility. The stock is currently trading at $0.31. Trading volume is exceptionally heavy at 296.9x the average, suggesting very strong buying interest.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus (15 min delayed). Upgrade to Gold for real-time data.
Key Figures
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27 | Investor conference update | Positive | +0.2% | Conference presentation highlighted completed DURIPANC enrollment and planned 2026 endpoint evaluation. |
| Aug 12 | Biodefense article | Positive | +0.2% | Government-funded preclinical work highlighted Ampligen activity in Ebola and SARS-related coronavirus models. |
| Aug 10 | Q2 earnings report | Negative | -7.8% | Quarterly results reported a $3.8 million net loss alongside operational progress. |
| Jul 07 | Management update | Positive | +2.9% | CEO presentation discussed pancreatic cancer program progress and completed Phase 2 enrollment. |
| Jun 24 | Clinical program update | Positive | +3.0% | Company reported completed DURIPANC enrollment, final dosing, and strengthened intellectual property. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Recent history included positive reactions of 0.2%, 0.24%, 2.86%, and 3%, while the Q2 results event registered -7.85%.
Key Terms
tlr3 agonist medical
pd-1 checkpoint inhibitor medical
pd-l1 antibody medical
dsrna medical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Patent covers synergistic use of Ampligen with pembrolizumab across cancer indications, including pancreatic, ovarian, colorectal, breast, lung and other cancers, reinforcing the potential breadth and long-term value of AIM’s oncology platform
OCALA, Fla., Aug. 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AIM ImmunoTech Inc. (NYSE American: AIM) (“AIM” or the “Company”) today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted a patent covering the use of the Company's drug Ampligen in combination with the PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab for the treatment of cancer. This newly issued U.S. patent expires December 20, 2039.
Ampligen is a wide-spectrum Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) agonist, among other biological effects, and has been investigated for the treatment of various cancers, among other conditions. The Company has been issued multiple patents, and has filed multiple additional patent applications, directed to the use of Ampligen for cancer treatment.
“The issuance of this patent marks another significant step in building a broad and durable intellectual property patent estate around Ampligen’s potential role in cancer immunotherapy,” said Thomas Equels, Chief Executive Officer of AIM ImmunoTech. “This patent protects Ampligen's use in combination therapy with the leading PD-1 checkpoint therapy across a broad range of cancers and specifically encompasses pancreatic cancer, the central focus of our late-stage oncology strategy. Together with our existing U.S. and international patents covering Ampligen with PD-1 and PD-L1 checkpoint blockade, we believe this growing patent estate strengthens both the scientific and strategic foundation supporting Ampligen’s long-term oncology opportunity.”
The newly issued patent's broadest claim covers methods of treating cancer, by giving Ampligen together with pembrolizumab, whether administered at the same time or at different times, where the combination produces a greater effect against the cancer than either treatment alone, or than would be expected simply by adding their individual effects together. Other claims in the patent specifically name pancreatic cancer, skin cancer, colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma, breast cancer, triple negative breast cancer, head and neck tumor, bladder cancer, renal cell carcinoma, and lung cancer as types of cancers for which the combination use is claimed in the patent, but the broad claim's coverage is not limited to any cancer.
AIM also holds a U.S. patent, expiring August 9, 2039, covering methods of using Ampligen as part of a combination oncology therapy paired with an anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody; a Netherlands patent, expiring December 19, 2039, broadly covering the use of Ampligen as a combination cancer therapy with PD-1 and PD-L1 checkpoint blockade inhibitors; and a Japanese patent, expiring December 20, 2039, covering the use of Ampligen in combination with either anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 antibodies for the treatment of cancer.
About AIM ImmunoTech Inc.
AIM ImmunoTech Inc. is an immuno-pharma company focused on the research and development of its lead product, Ampligen® (rintatolimod), for the treatment of late-stage pancreatic cancer, a lethal and unmet global health problem. Ampligen is a dsRNA and highly selective TLR3 agonist immuno-modulator that has shown broad-spectrum activity in clinical trials.
For more information, please visit aimimmuno.com and connect with the Company on X, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
Trademark Note
Keytruda® is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC. AIM ImmunoTech is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC.
Cautionary Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statements set forth in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. Such forward-looking statements may include statements relating to: Ampligen’s potential efficacy and applicability in the treatment of cancer, including pancreatic cancer; the synergistic use of Ampligen in combination with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for cancer treatment; the breadth and long-term value of the Company’s intellectual property patent estate; the scope and coverage of the Company’s U.S. and international patents; the timing of commencement, enrollment, completion, and results of clinical trials; intellectual property expansion and regulatory progress; and timing for receiving government approvals, if at all. For all forward-looking statements, the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding the potential of Ampligen’s mechanism of action, anticipated regulatory milestones, our future results of operations and financial position, our business strategy and plans, and our objectives for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Words such as “believe,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “can,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “envision,” “potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The Company does not undertake to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that occur after the date hereof, except as required by applicable law. The Company is in various stages of seeking to determine whether Ampligen will be effective in the treatment of multiple types of viral diseases, cancers, and immune-deficiency disorders, and disclosures in the Company’s reports filed with the SEC, on its website, and in its press releases set forth its current and anticipated future activities. These activities are subject to change for a number of reasons. Significant additional testing and trials will be required to determine whether Ampligen® will be effective in the treatment of these conditions, including various cancers. Results obtained in preclinical studies do not necessarily predict results in humans. Human clinical trials will be necessary to prove whether or not Ampligen® will be efficacious in humans. No assurance can be given as to whether current or planned clinical trials will be successful or yield favorable data, and the trials are subject to many factors including lack of regulatory approval(s), lack of study drug, lack of adequate funding, or a change in priorities at the institutions sponsoring other trials. Even if these clinical trials are initiated, the Company cannot assure that the clinical studies will be successful or yield any useful data. No assurance can be given that the findings in preliminary studies will prove true or that such studies will yield favorable results, or that future studies will not result in findings that are different from those reported in the studies referenced in the Company’s reports filed with the SEC, on the Company’s website, and in its press releases. Operating in foreign countries carries with it a number of risks, including potential difficulties in enforcing intellectual property rights. The Company cannot assure that its potential foreign operations will not be adversely affected by these risks.
For a detailed discussion of these and other risk factors, please review the “Risk Factors” section in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC. These filings are available at www.sec.gov and www.aimimmuno.com. You should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. The information found on the Company’s website or on other websites referenced or linked to in this press release is not incorporated by reference into this press release and such information is referenced or linked for reference purposes only.
in this press release should be read in conjunction with such filings. These filings are available at www.sec.gov and www.aimimmuno.com. The information found on the Company’s website is not incorporated by reference into this press release and is included for reference purposes only.
Investor Contact:
JTC Team, LLC
Jenene Thomas
908.824.0775
AIM@jtcir.com
