MediciNova received a notice of allowance from the European Patent Office for a pending patent application which covers the use of ibudilast (MN-166) for the treatment of progressive forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). MN-166 is the company’s drug development candidate for certain neurological conditions, including progressive MS, drug addiction, and pain. Patents maturing in this type of application are not expected to mature before 2029 and will cover multiple methods of treating primary or secondary progressive MS.
“Treatment options for patients who have progressive MS are very limited and assessing potential pharmacotherapies like ibudilast may offer real hope,” said Dr. Frederik Barkhof, professor of neuroradiology and medicine, VU Medical Center, Amsterdam.
The patent application is based upon clinical investigations conducted by MediciNova and collaborating researchers that showed adisease-modifying benefit. The benefit identified is that brain volume loss (brain atrophy) commonly associated with disease progression was demonstrated to be reduced by oral administration of ibudilast to a group of MS patients in a dose-related fashion over at least a 10-month treatment period. Ibudilast has been used in asthma and post-stroke disorders in Japan for about 20 years. MediciNova has demonstrated the potential utility of ibudilast in the treatment of neurological disorders at higher doses with encouraging outcomes in company-sponsored clinical trials in multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuropathic pain.
“We are very pleased with this positive step in our patent portfolio, It complements our strategy to advance MN-166 into Phase II proof-of-concept clinical development for progressive multiple sclerosis,” said Yuichi Iwaki, president and CEO of MediciNova.
MediciNova is a biopharmaceutical company that acquires and develops small-molecule therapeutics for the treatment of diseases. MediciNova holds rights to a diversified portfolio of clinical and preclinical product candidates. MediciNova’s pipeline includes six clinical-stage compounds for the treatment of acute exacerbations of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations, multiple sclerosis and other neurologic conditions, asthma, interstitial cystitis, solid tumor cancers, generalized anxiety disorder, preterm labor, and urinary incontinence, as well as two preclinical-stage compounds for the treatment of thrombotic disorders.
For more information on MediciNova, visit www.medicinova.com
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