GRI Bio Secures New U.S. Composition of Matter Patent Covering Novel Compound Structures

Rhea-AI Summary

GRI Bio (NASDAQ: GRI) announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued U.S. Patent No. 12,528,775 on January 26, 2026, granting composition-of-matter claims for a distinct class of proprietary compounds.

The patent covers linked molecular structures that form pyrrolidine, piperidine, or azepane ring systems, which the company says are separate from prior patents and strengthen its intellectual property estate. The issuance supports GRI Bio’s platform targeting NKT cell biology and complements its lead program GRI-0621 and a chemistry library of over 500 proprietary compounds.

Positive

• USPTO issued U.S. Patent No. 12,528,775 on January 26, 2026
• Composition-of-matter claims cover pyrrolidine, piperidine, azepane ring structures
• Patent provides independent protection distinct from prior patents
• Supports platform targeting NKT cell biology and lead program GRI-0621
• Company cites a chemistry library of over 500 proprietary compounds

Negative

• None.

News Market Reaction

-1.53% 2.4x vol

16 alerts

-1.53% News Effect

+6.8% Peak Tracked

-20.6% Trough Tracked

-$46K Valuation Impact

$3M Market Cap

2.4x Rel. Volume

On the day this news was published, GRI declined 1.53%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +6.8% during that session. Argus tracked a trough of -20.6% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 16 alerts that day, indicating notable trading interest and price volatility. This price movement removed approximately $46K from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $3M at that time. Trading volume was elevated at 2.4x the daily average, suggesting increased selling activity.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Key Figures

Patent number: U.S. Patent No. 12,528,775 Compound library size: over 500 proprietary compounds

2 metrics

Patent number U.S. Patent No. 12,528,775 New U.S. composition-of-matter patent issued by USPTO

Compound library size over 500 proprietary compounds GRI Bio chemistry platform and compound library

Market Reality Check

Price: $3.32 Vol: Volume 1,704,706 is 0.31x...

low vol

$3.32 Last Close

Volume Volume 1,704,706 is 0.31x the 20-day average 5,427,159, indicating subdued trading interest pre-announcement. low

Technical Shares at 0.2013 are trading below the 200-day MA of 1.46 and remain far under the 52-week high of 11.9.

Peers on Argus

GRI gained 2.6% while momentum-screened peers ADTX, OGEN and SXTP were all down ...

3 Down

GRI gained 2.6% while momentum-screened peers ADTX, OGEN and SXTP were all down (median move about -11.1%), indicating stock-specific strength against broader biotech weakness.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 21 (Negative)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 21	Reverse stock split	Negative	-4.2%	1-for-28 reverse split to help regain Nasdaq minimum bid compliance.
Jan 08	Clinical data update	Positive	-4.7%	Additional positive Phase 2a IPF data showing iNKT inhibition and biomarker shifts.
Dec 12	Financing close	Negative	-10.0%	Closing of $8.0M public offering with Series F warrants at $0.75 per unit.
Dec 11	Financing pricing	Negative	-56.5%	Pricing of $8,000,000 best-efforts offering with shares and Series F warrants.
Dec 10	Topline clinical results	Positive	-12.9%	Positive Phase 2a GRI-0621 IPF topline data meeting safety endpoint and FVC signals.

Pattern Detected

Recent history shows selling pressure on both financings and clinically positive updates, with negative news like dilutive offerings typically aligning with share price declines.

Recent Company History

Over the past few months, GRI Bio issued several material updates. In Dec 2025, it reported positive Phase 2a topline data for GRI-0621 in IPF and then announced and closed an $8.0 million public offering with Series F warrants, followed by additional positive Phase 2a data in Jan 2026. The stock also faced a 1-for-28 reverse split to address Nasdaq compliance. These events were generally followed by negative price reactions, so today’s patent-focused news adds platform durability rather than changing that recent financing-heavy backdrop.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement highlighted issuance of U.S. Patent No. 12,528,775, adding composition-of-matter p...

Analysis

This announcement highlighted issuance of U.S. Patent No. 12,528,775, adding composition-of-matter protection for a distinct class of pyrrolidine, piperidine and azepane-based compounds and reinforcing GRI Bio’s NKT cell–focused platform. The company emphasized a library of over 500 proprietary compounds and continued prioritization of lead asset GRI-0621. In light of recent offerings, reverse split activity, and Nasdaq compliance efforts, investors may focus on how this strengthened IP estate supports partnering prospects and longer-term pipeline value.

Key Terms

composition-of-matter, pyrrolidine, piperidine, azepane, +3 more

7 terms

composition-of-matter regulatory

"The newly issued patent includes composition-of-matter claims covering a distinct class"

A composition-of-matter is a legal description of a specific chemical or biological substance or mixture—think of it as the exact recipe and ingredients that make up a drug, material, or chemical product. For investors, ownership of a composition-of-matter patent can act like a locked recipe that keeps competitors out, protecting future sales and profit margins and reducing the risk that a product will be easily copied.

pyrrolidine medical

"structures that form pyrrolidine, piperidine, or azepane ring systems."

A small organic molecule made of a five‑atom ring with one nitrogen atom, used widely as a chemical building block in drug and agrochemical synthesis. Like a versatile Lego piece for chemists, pyrrolidine can change how a drug is made, how it behaves in the body, and how easy it is to manufacture and test. Investors watch for it because its use can affect development complexity, regulatory review, patent position, costs and commercial timelines.

piperidine medical

"structures that form pyrrolidine, piperidine, or azepane ring systems."

Piperidine is a small organic chemical made of a six-atom ring with one nitrogen, commonly used as a basic building block in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and specialty chemicals. For investors, its importance lies in supply, regulatory and patent issues—like a Lego piece essential to many drug recipes—because shortages, contamination or new uses can affect production costs, approval timelines and a company’s competitive position.

azepane medical

"structures that form pyrrolidine, piperidine, or azepane ring systems."

Aze pane is a small, ring-shaped molecule that contains seven atoms, one of which is nitrogen, and is used as a building block in making drugs and other chemicals. For investors, it matters because this chemical piece can change a medicine’s stability, how it dissolves, and how the body handles it, which affects development costs, patent options, safety reviews and the commercial value of pharmaceutical products—think of it like a specific Lego brick that helps determine the final toy’s performance.

u.s. patent and trademark office (uspto) regulatory

"the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued U.S. Patent No. 12,528,775"

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the federal agency that grants patents for inventions and registers trademarks for brand names and logos, acting like a national property office for ideas and brands. For investors it matters because issued patents and registered trademarks can create legal exclusivity, protect market share, enable licensing revenue, and affect a company’s valuation and risk of costly disputes—similar to owning deeded property for a business’s key assets.

natural killer t (nkt) cell medical

"platform focused on modulating Natural Killer T (NKT) cell biology"

A natural killer T (NKT) cell is an immune cell that combines features of two defender types—T cells and natural killer cells—so it can both recognize abnormal cells and rapidly call other immune cells into action. Investors care because many experimental therapies aim to boost, redirect, or mimic NKT activity to fight cancer and infectious or inflammatory diseases; think of NKT cells as on-the-ground first responders that also radio for backup, so drugs that affect them can change treatment prospects and company value.

immunomodulators medical

"innovative pipeline of immune cell modulators for the treatment"

Drugs or therapies that change how the immune system works, either by boosting, calming, or redirecting its activity; think of them as a thermostat or dimmer switch for immune response. They matter to investors because they are central to treatments for autoimmune diseases, infections and cancer, and regulatory approvals, clinical trial results or manufacturing advances can significantly affect a biotech company’s revenue prospects and stock value.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Issued Claims Protect Distinct Molecular Designs with Broad Therapeutic Potential Across Inflammatory, Fibrotic, and Autoimmune Diseases

LA JOLLA, CA, Jan. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GRI Bio, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRI) (“GRI Bio” or the “Company”), a biotechnology company advancing an innovative pipeline of immune cell modulators for the treatment of inflammatory, fibrotic and autoimmune diseases, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued U.S. Patent No. 12,528,775, providing robust new intellectual property protection for novel compound compositions central to the Company’s platform of immunomodulators.

The newly issued patent includes composition-of-matter claims covering a distinct class of proprietary compounds defined by linked molecular structures that form pyrrolidine, piperidine, or azepane ring systems. These specific molecular configurations represent a key structural advancement and are separate and distinct from patents previously issued to the Company, further strengthening the durability of GRI Bio’s intellectual property estate.

“This patent reflects our disciplined IP strategy and scientific depth,” said Marc Hertz, Chief Executive Officer of GRI Bio. “We have now secured independent protection for a novel and highly valuable subset of our chemistry platform.”

The newly issued patent supports GRI Bio’s broader platform focused on modulating Natural Killer T (NKT) cell biology and complements the Company’s ongoing development of immune cell–targeted therapies for inflammatory, fibrotic, and autoimmune diseases.

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.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “aim,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current beliefs and expectations. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Company’s expectations with respect to development and commercialization of the Company’s product candidates, the timing of initiation or completion of clinical trials and availability of resulting data, the potential benefits and impact of the Company’s clinical trials and product candidates and any implication that the data or results observed in preclinical trials or earlier studies, topline or interim data or trials will be indicative of results of later studies or clinical trials or final data, the Company’s beliefs and expectations regarding potential shareholder value and future financial performance, the Company’s beliefs and estimates about its cash and available resources and its ability to fund its planned operations through any particular date, the Company’s beliefs about the timing and outcome of regulatory approvals and potential regulatory approval pathways, the Company’s expected milestones future milestones, and the Company’s beliefs and expectations regarding the sufficiency of its existing cash and cash equivalents to fund its planned operations, its ability to raise additional funds, which may not be available to the Company on acceptable terms, or at all, and capital expenditure requirements. Actual results may differ from the forward-looking statements expressed by the Company in this press release and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict, including, without limitation: (1) the inability to maintain the listing of the Company’s common stock on The Nasdaq Capital Market and to comply with applicable listing requirements; (2) changes in applicable laws or regulations; (3) the inability of the Company to raise financing in the future; (4) the success, cost and timing of the Company’s product development activities; (5) the inability of the Company to obtain and maintain regulatory clearance or approval for its respective products, and any related restrictions and limitations of any cleared or approved product; (6) the inability of the Company to identify, in-license or acquire additional technology; (7) the inability of the Company to compete with other companies currently marketing or engaged in the development of products and services that the Company is currently developing; (8) the size and growth potential of the markets for the Company’s products and services, and their respective ability to serve those markets, either alone or in partnership with others; (9) the failure to achieve any milestones or receive any milestone payments under any agreements; (10) inaccuracy in the Company’s estimates regarding expenses, future revenue, capital requirements and needs for and the ability to obtain additional financing; (11) the Company’s ability to protect and enforce its intellectual property portfolio, including any newly issued patents and its ability to obtain any expected patent term extensions, adjustments, exclusivities or disclaimers; and (12) other risks and uncertainties indicated from time to time in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including the risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 14, 2025 and subsequently filed reports. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

Investor Contact:
JTC Team, LLC
Jenene Thomas
(908) 824-0775
GRI@jtcir.com

FAQ

What did GRI (NASDAQ: GRI) announce on January 26, 2026 regarding patents?

GRI announced the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 12,528,775, covering composition-of-matter claims for a class of proprietary compounds.

Which compound structures does U.S. Patent No. 12,528,775 for GRI cover?

The patent covers linked molecular structures that form pyrrolidine, piperidine, and azepane ring systems.

How does the new patent affect GRI's drug development platform and lead program GRI-0621?

The company said the patent strengthens its IP estate and complements its platform focused on NKT cell biology and the lead program GRI-0621.

Does GRI have additional chemistry assets mentioned alongside the new patent?

Yes, GRI cites a chemistry platform and a library of over 500 proprietary compounds to support pipeline expansion.

Is the newly issued GRI patent distinct from earlier patents?

Yes; the company states the composition-of-matter claims are separate and distinct from patents previously issued to the company.