NewcelX Expands Intellectual Property Footprint with Publication of DOXA Patent Application in China

Rhea-AI Summary

NewcelX (Nasdaq: NCEL) announced publication in China of an international patent application covering a new class of DOXA quinazoline, benzothiazine, and benzoxazine derivatives for neurological diseases (China publication CN 120981232 A, published November 18, 2025).

The portfolio expansion builds on a Europe priority filing (priority Dec 30, 2022) and a PCT filing (Dec 29, 2023), and the company says the DOXA family targets sleep‑wake regulation, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neuronal resilience with potential applications across narcolepsy, ALS, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disease.

The publication supports NewcelX's small‑molecule IP footprint in Asia, mentions potential Hong Kong registration, and links DOXA mechanisms to the company's stem‑cell IsletRx work for insulin‑dependent diabetes.

Positive

• China patent publication CN 120981232 A on Nov 18, 2025
• PCT filing Dec 29, 2023 and Europe priority Dec 30, 2022
• Broader IP coverage for DOXA across CNS and metabolic indications
• Potential additional protection via planned Hong Kong registration

Negative

• Publication is an application, not a granted patent; enforceable rights not yet established

Key Figures

Current price $4.26 NCEL price before impact of China DOXA patent news

Daily price change -6.37% Move over prior 24 hours ahead of/around this news

Trading volume 337,837 shares Today vs 20-day average volume of 72,692 shares

52-week high $7.64 Upper end of NCEL’s 52-week trading range

52-week low $3.062 Lower end of NCEL’s 52-week trading range

Merger proceeds $9 million Amount raised in merger forming NewcelX, per prior shareholder letter

Equity line $25 million Equity line of credit cited in Nov 4, 2025 shareholder letter

Shareholders’ equity $20 million Pro forma equity as of June 30, 2025 from shareholder letter

Market Reality Check

$2.21 Last Close

Volume Volume 337,837 is 4.65x the 20-day average of 72,692, highlighting elevated trading interest. high

Technical Price at $4.26 is trading above the 200-day MA of $3.98 despite a -6.37% daily move.

Peers on Argus

No peer stocks or sector momentum data were flagged, suggesting NCEL’s -6.37% move was driven by company-specific factors rather than a sector-wide shift.

Historical Context

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Nov 17	Advisory appointment	Positive	-0.3%	ALS-focused neurologist added to Scientific Advisory Board for AstroRx guidance.
Nov 06	Advisory appointment	Positive	-11.7%	Neuroimmunology and stem-cell expert joined SAB to support ALS and diabetes work.
Nov 04	Strategy update	Positive	+10.0%	Shareholder letter detailed unified cell therapy/CNS strategy and near-term milestones.
Nov 03	Merger roadmap	Positive	-29.5%	Post-merger business update and investor presentation on combined platform strategy.

Pattern Detected

Recent corporate and strategic updates have more often been followed by negative price reactions, with only one out of four events showing an aligned positive move.

Recent Company History

Over the past months, NewcelX reported a merger-driven strategy combining cell therapies and neuroscience programs and outlined milestones such as a Phase 2a AstroRx ALS study and Phase 1 IsletRx trial, supported by about $9 million in merger proceeds and a $25 million equity line. Subsequent appointments to the Scientific Advisory Board on Nov 6 and Nov 17, 2025 reinforced neurology and ALS expertise. Today’s China DOXA patent publication extends that neuroscience and small-molecule footprint in line with the earlier strategic roadmap.

Market Pulse Summary

The stock dropped -21.8% in the session following this news. A negative reaction despite constructive IP news fits a recent pattern where upbeat strategic updates often preceded declines, with 3 of the last 4 events showing divergence. The market may have focused on broader risk perception around an early-stage pipeline even as the DOXA patent publication in China strengthened long-term CNS and metabolic positioning. Elevated volume of 337,837 shares and a price still above the $3.98 200-day MA suggest active repositioning rather than apathy.

Key Terms

patent application regulatory

"announced the publication of a major international patent application in China"

A patent application is a formal request filed with a government office asking for legal rights to an invention or process; it describes the idea in detail and asks for exclusive control over its commercial use. For investors, a pending application is like a company staking a claim on a potentially valuable product—it can signal future market protection and revenue but offers no guaranteed monopoly until the patent is actually granted.

neuropharmacology medical

"years of translational work in neuropharmacology and medicinal chemistry aimed at"

Neuropharmacology is the study of how drugs affect the brain and nervous system, including how medicines change nerve signals and behavior. For investors, it matters because breakthroughs or setbacks in this field can determine whether a therapy succeeds, affecting a company’s future sales, regulatory chances, and stock value — think of it as testing how well a key will turn the locks of brain circuitry. Progress here can create major growth or risk for healthcare investments.

medicinal chemistry medical

"years of translational work in neuropharmacology and medicinal chemistry aimed at"

Medicinal chemistry is the science of designing and tweaking small molecules so they can become safe, effective medicines; think of it as sculpting and fine-tuning keys to fit biological locks. Investors care because improvements in these molecules determine whether a drug will work, be safe, pass regulatory tests and reach the market, which directly affects a company’s development costs, timelines and future revenue potential.

orexin signalling medical

"including narcolepsy, where dysregulation of orexin signalling plays a central role."

Orexin signalling is the brain’s chemical messaging system driven by orexin (hypocretin) molecules that help regulate wakefulness, sleep cycles, appetite and arousal. Investors track it because drugs that boost or block this pathway can treat sleep disorders, appetite or psychiatric conditions; think of it like a home thermostat for alertness—tweaking the control can create valuable medicines or therapies, which affects market value, regulatory review and commercial potential.

neuroinflammation medical

"designed to modulate pathways implicated in sleep-wake regulation, neuroinflammation,"

Neuroinflammation is the brain or spinal cord’s immune reaction to injury, infection, or abnormalities, where cells and molecules become active to protect or repair nervous tissue. It matters to investors because it underlies many neurological diseases and is a common target for drugs and diagnostic tools; positive or negative trial results, safety signals, or new therapies can change a company’s value much like a major repair plan or recall would affect a carmaker’s prospects.

oxidative stress medical

"sleep-wake regulation, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neuronal resilience—"

Oxidative stress is a biological imbalance where damaging, unstable molecules overwhelm the body’s neutralizing defenses, similar to how rust forms when metal is exposed to oxygen and moisture. Investors should care because oxidative stress is linked to many diseases and aging processes, influencing demand for drugs, diagnostics, supplements, and healthcare spending, and it can affect the commercial value and regulatory outlook of related products.

neuronal resilience medical

"oxidative stress, and neuronal resilience—mechanisms relevant not only to"

Neuronal resilience is the brain cells’ ability to withstand stress, recover from injury, and keep working over time, like shock absorbers that prevent a car from breaking down after hitting bumps. For investors, it matters because treatments or technologies that boost this resilience can slow or prevent chronic neurological decline, improving patient outcomes and creating potential markets for new drugs, devices, or diagnostics; evidence of meaningful resilience gain can drive clinical value and regulatory progress.

metabolic homeostasis medical

"links between sleep regulation, orexin signalling, metabolic homeostasis, and insulin"

Metabolic homeostasis is the body’s ongoing process of keeping energy use and chemical balances steady—like a thermostat or factory control system that adjusts fuel, hormones, and waste to keep cells running. For investors, it matters because many drugs, devices, and diagnostics aim to restore or change this balance in conditions such as diabetes, obesity, or metabolic disorders, and effects on homeostasis drive safety, market need, and long-term treatment value.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Publication in key market advances NewcelX's global IP strategy across Asia and supports the Company's expanding position in neurology and metabolic diseases

ZURICH, Dec. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NewcelX Ltd. (Nasdaq: NCEL), a next-generation biotechnology company developing advanced cell-therapy and neuroscience-driven therapeutics, today announced the publication of a major international patent application in China covering a new class of quinazoline, benzothiazine, and benzoxazine derivatives (DOXA) for the treatment of neurological diseases.

This publication marks an important expansion of the Company's proprietary small-molecule portfolio, supporting NewcelX's strategy of advancing therapeutic innovation across sleep-wake disorders, neurodegeneration, and metabolic disease. This represents a meaningful expansion of NewcelX's proprietary small-molecule technology estate as the Company advances its innovation strategy across cell therapy, regenerative medicine, and CNS drug development.

Key Patent Information

• Priority: Europe Patent Application No. 22307075.6, filed December 30, 2022
• PCT Filing: International Patent Application No. PCT/2023800948590, filed December 29, 2023
• China Publication: CN 120981232 A, published November 18, 2025
• Title: Quinazoline, Benzothiazine or Benzoxazine Derivatives for Neurological Diseases
• Internal Reference: B386678CN / D43080

"The publication of this patent application in China is an important step in expanding the global reach of our IP portfolio," said Ronen Twito, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman of NewcelX. "It strengthens the foundation of our DOXA small-molecule platform and supports our long-term strategy to build a diversified therapeutic pipeline in neurology."

"This patent marks a key milestone for the DOXA program," said Dr. Eric Konofal, Head of the DOXA Program. "These compounds reflect years of translational work in neuropharmacology and medicinal chemistry aimed at developing first- or best-in-class treatments for major CNS disorders, from ALS to narcolepsy."

The patent covers a broad family of compounds with potential applications in multiple CNS-related conditions, including narcolepsy, where dysregulation of orexin signalling plays a central role. DOXA compounds are designed to modulate pathways implicated in sleep-wake regulation, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neuronal resilience—mechanisms relevant not only to neurodegenerative disease but also to metabolic disorders.

Recent scientific insights have increasingly highlighted the strong biological links between sleep regulation, orexin signalling, metabolic homeostasis, and insulin sensitivity. These connections support the potential integration of DOXA mechanisms alongside NewcelX's stem-cell–derived IsletRx program for insulin-dependent diabetes. Enhanced metabolic regulation and improved neurological function may complement regenerative cell-therapy approaches, offering a differentiated therapeutic opportunity.

The publication creates the foundation for subsequent registration in Hong Kong, potentially providing an additional layer of protection in a strategically important region for future development and commercialization.

About NewcelX (Nasdaq: NCEL)

NewcelX is a global biotechnology company developing therapies in cell engineering, regenerative medicine, and neurological disorders. Built on an integrated platform combining advanced stem-cell technologies with deep neuroscience expertise, NewcelX is advancing a diversified pipeline in ALS, Type 1 Diabetes, and CNS-related conditions. The Company is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, with R&D operations in Israel.

Social Media: LinkedIn, Facebook, X

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains expressed or implied forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other applicable securities laws. For example, NewcelX is using forward-looking statements when it discusses the expansion of the company's patent estate. These forward-looking statements and their implications are based on the current expectations of the management of NewcelX and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: changes in technology and market requirements; potential delays or obstacles in launching or completing clinical trials; products that may not be approved by regulatory agencies; technologies that may not be validated or accepted by the scientific community; the inability to retain or attract key employees; unforeseen scientific difficulties with products in development; higher-than-expected product costs; results in the laboratory that do not translate to clinical success; insufficient patent protection; possible adverse safety outcomes; legislative changes; delays in developing or introducing new technologies, products, or applications; and competitive pressures that could reduce market share or pricing. The Company cannot assure that any patent will issue as a result of a pending patent application or, if issued, whether it will issue in a form that will be advantageous to the Company. Except as otherwise required by law, NewcelX does not undertake any obligation to publicly release revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company is contained under the heading "Risk Factors" in its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and available at www.sec.gov, as well as in subsequent filings made by NewcelX, including under the heading "Risk Factors" in its proxy statement/prospectus filed with the SEC on November 6, 2025.

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Investor & Media Contacts
Sarah Bazak, Investors relations
InvestorRelations@newcelx.com

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SOURCE NewcelX Ltd.

FAQ

What did NewcelX (NCEL) announce on December 11, 2025 regarding China patent publication?

NewcelX announced the China publication of an international patent application for DOXA compounds (CN 120981232 A, published Nov 18, 2025).

How does the CN 120981232 A publication affect NewcelX's IP position for NCEL?

The publication extends NewcelX's small‑molecule IP footprint in China and supports further regional filings, including potential Hong Kong registration.

What are the key filing dates tied to the DOXA patent family for NCEL?

Priority Europe application filed Dec 30, 2022 and PCT filing submitted Dec 29, 2023, with China publication on Nov 18, 2025.

Which diseases does NewcelX cite for DOXA compound applications for NCEL?

The company cites CNS conditions including narcolepsy and ALS, plus neurodegeneration and metabolic disorders tied to sleep and orexin signalling.

Does the China publication mean NewcelX has an enforceable patent for NCEL in China?

No; publication notifies the market that an application exists, but it is not a granted, enforceable patent.