Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company specializing in the characterization and engineering of complex drugs, announced today that on February 8, 2011 the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued U.S. Patent No. 7,884,187, entitled "Analysis of Amino Acid Copolymer Compositions." The patent includes claims to methods of preparing glatiramer acetate drug product. Glatiramer acetate is marketed as Copaxone®. Momenta is developing a generic version with Sandoz, who has filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for the product.
"This patent is an important addition to the Momenta intellectual property portfolio as it is the first U.S. patent to issue from our expanding portfolio of pending patent applications related to glatiramer acetate, also known as Copaxone®," stated Craig Wheeler, President and CEO of Momenta. "Protecting Momenta's innovative technology as it relates to this complex pharmaceutical product is an important strategic priority in the development of a generic version of Copaxone®."
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