Elan And Transition Therapeutics Receive Key Patent For Alzheimer's Disease Treatment With ELND005

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Article Date: 24 Apr 2009 - 2:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions

Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) and Transition Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: TTH, NASDAQ:TTHI) today announced the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued US patent number 7,521,481 on April 21, 2009. The patent is entitled "Methods of Preventing, Treating and Diagnosing Disorders of Protein Aggregation," and generally claims methods for treating Alzheimer's disease comprising administering scyllo-inositol (ELND005). The patent will expire in the year 2025 or later due to any patent term extensions.

"The issuance of this patent is an important milestone in the development of ELND005, a unique oral compound with a favourable safety profile that crosses the blood-brain barrier and targets the disaggregation of amyloid beta in the brain," said Dr. Tony Cruz, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Transition.

In 2006, Elan and Transition entered into an exclusive, worldwide collaboration agreement for the joint development and commercialization of ELND005 for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other indications.

About ELND005 (AZD-103)

ELND005 is an orally-administered therapeutic agent that has received fast track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Fast track designation facilitates development and may expedite regulatory review of drugs that the FDA recognizes as potentially addressing an unmet medical need for serious or life-threatening conditions.

ELND005 is currently in a Phase 2 clinical study. The study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging, safety and efficacy study in approximately 340 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

About Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease, a leading cause of dementia, is a progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys a person's memory and ability to learn, reason, make judgments, communicate and carry out daily activities. Alzheimer's disease may result from the build-up of toxic beta-amyloid peptides in the brain. As Alzheimer's disease progresses, individuals may also experience changes in personality and behavior, such as anxiety, suspiciousness or agitation, as well as delusions or hallucinations. It is currently estimated that more than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease and more than 24 million people worldwide over the age of 60 have some form of dementia (Source: Alzheimer's Association and Alzheimer's Disease International).

Source
Transition