Merrion Pharmaceuticals today announced it had secured a further US patent for its lead product to treat bone metastases associated with prostate, breast and other cancers.
The US patent covers Orazol tablets, an oral form of zoledronic acid, that use Merrion’s proprietary gastrointestinal permeation enhancement technology (GIPET) technology to allow the oral dosing of drugs previously only available in intravenous form. The expiry date for the patent is 2027.
Products developed with this technology have potential for significantly improving the quality of life for patients as well as providing greater access to the medication within healthcare systems, the company said.
A separate patent, covering GIPET technology combined with bisphosphonates, of which zoledronic acid is a member, was issued in the United States in March 2010, and a patent covering the technology has been granted in Europe.
Commenting, CEO John Lynch said: “This is the second key US patent issued for Merrion’s GIPET technology this year and is a significant development for our patent estate. This further establishes us as one of the leading companies in this space. The clinical validation for GIPET technology is also growing."