GRI Bio Receives Notice of Allowance for UAE Patent Application Covering Novel Type 2 Diverse NKT Cell Agonists for the Treatment of Inflammatory Conditions
Rhea-AI Summary
GRI Bio (NASDAQ: GRI) received a Notice of Allowance from the United Arab Emirates Patent Office on April 8, 2026, for UAE Patent No. P6000687/2017 titled “Prevention and Treatment of Inflammatory Conditions.”
The allowed claims cover novel type 2 diverse NKT (dNKT) cell agonists and related methods, expanding the company’s global IP protection for its immunomodulatory platform and supporting future regional partnerships, licensing and commercialization in the UAE and MENA region.
Positive
- UAE patent allowance for dNKT agonists expands global IP protection
- Strengthens access to MENA market and regional partnership opportunities
- Supports long-term exclusivity for GRI's immunomodulatory platform
Negative
- Patent allowance does not guarantee regulatory approval or commercial success
Details
News Market Reaction – GRI
On Apr 8, the day this news came out, GRI closed 4.35% above the previous close.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Apr 8 session.
Key Figures
- Shelf registration size
- $250,000,000
- Form S-3 filed January 29, 2026
- ATM program capacity
- $60,000,000
- Amended at-the-market offering January 28–29, 2026
- ATM shares sold
- $12,639,002.84
- Aggregate sales under prior ATM as of January 29, 2026
- Phase 2a sample size
- 35 patients
- GRI-0621 IPF Phase 2a trial
- Proprietary compounds library
- Over 500 compounds
- NKT-focused chemistry platform and pipeline
- Beneficial ownership
- 1,097,858 shares (9.99%)
- Schedule 13G/A as of December 31, 2025
- Shares outstanding
- 10,121,060 shares
- Basis for 9.99% ownership in Schedule 13G/A
- Reverse split ratio
- 1-for-28
- Reverse stock split effective January 23, 2026
Historical Context
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CEO discussed additional positive Phase 2a IPF biomarker data in webcast.
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Announcement of participation in Webull-hosted virtual investor webinar series.
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Reiterated 2025 results, cash of $8.2M and extra $6.5M financing plus clinical progress.
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New Phase 2a RNA‑seq data for GRI‑0621 showing antifibrotic gene-expression changes.
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New U.S. composition-of-matter patent for proprietary pyrrolidine/piperidine/azepane compounds.
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Key Terms
notice of allowance regulatory
natural killer t medical
nkt cell modulators medical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Issued claims further strengthen global intellectual property portfolio supporting immune cell modulation platform and expand strategic presence in a high-growth international market
LA JOLLA, CA, April 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GRI Bio, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRI) (“GRI Bio” or the “Company”), a biotechnology company advancing an innovative pipeline of Natural Killer T (“NKT”) cell modulators for the treatment of inflammatory, fibrotic and autoimmune diseases, today announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the United Arab Emirates Patent Office (UAE) for UAE Patent No. P6000687/2017, titled “Prevention and Treatment of Inflammatory Conditions.”
The allowed claims cover novel type 2 diverse NKT (“dNKT”) cell agonists and related methods and compositions for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory conditions, further expanding GRI Bio’s intellectual property protection for its proprietary immunomodulatory platform. These claims support therapeutic approaches targeting immune pathways implicated in inflammatory, fibrotic and autoimmune diseases and complement the Company’s existing patent portfolio. This allowance further reinforces the Company’s disciplined approach to building a global intellectual property portfolio designed to support long-term exclusivity and strategic optionality.
The UAE represents a strategically significant and rapidly expanding healthcare market, serving as a gateway to the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. By securing patent protection in this region, GRI Bio strengthens its global intellectual property position for its dNKT cell agonist program and enhances its ability to support future regional partnerships, licensing opportunities and long-term commercialization strategies.
“This Notice of Allowance reflects the continued execution of our disciplined global IP strategy,” said Marc Hertz, Chief Executive Officer of GRI Bio. “Securing protection in key international markets strengthens our platform and supports the advancement of our pipeline while creating additional opportunities for long-term value for shareholders.”
The allowed application supports GRI Bio’s broader platform focused on modulating NKT cell biology, an emerging therapeutic approach designed to regulate immune responses across a range of diseases with significant unmet need. This patent further reinforces the strength and durability of the Company’s growing global intellectual property portfolio.
GRI Bio remains focused on advancing its lead program, GRI-0621, while leveraging its growing chemistry platform and library of over 500 proprietary compounds to support future pipeline expansion and potential strategic partnerships.
About GRI Bio, Inc.
GRI Bio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on fundamentally changing the way inflammatory, fibrotic and autoimmune diseases are treated. GRI Bio’s therapies are designed to target the activity of Natural Killer T (“NKT”) cells, which are key regulators earlier in the inflammatory cascade, to interrupt disease progression and restore the immune system to homeostasis. NKT cells are innate-like T cells that share properties of both NK and T cells and are a functional link between the innate and adaptive immune responses. Type I invariant NKT (“iNKT”) cells play a critical role in propagating the injury, inflammatory response, and fibrosis observed in inflammatory and fibrotic indications. GRI Bio’s lead program, GRI-0621, is an RARβγ agonist shown to inhibit the activity of key immune cells, like iNKT cell activity, and is being developed as a novel oral therapeutic for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a serious disease with significant unmet need. The Company is also developing a pipeline of novel type 2 diverse NKT (“dNKT”) agonists for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. Additionally, with a library of over 500 proprietary compounds, GRI Bio has the ability to fuel a growing pipeline.
Investor Contact:
JTC Team, LLC
Jenene Thomas
(908) 824-0775
GRI@jtcir.com
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