USPTO grants Cortex patent for CX1739 AMPAKINE molecule

Apr 26 2011

Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTCBB: CORX) announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for a patent that protects its lead AMPAKINE® molecule, CX1739. The patent, entitled "Di-Substituted Amides for Enhancing Glutamatergic Synaptic Responses," specifically covers CX1739, Cortex's third generation Low Impact AMPAKINE compound that is currently in Phase II clinical development. Along with CX1739, the allowed patent covers approximately 80 additional structures that will have patent protection into 2028.

“Di-Substituted Amides for Enhancing Glutamatergic Synaptic Responses”

"We are most appreciative to our Senior Director of Medicinal Chemistry, Leslie Street, Ph.D., and our Director of Chemistry, Rudolf Mueller, Ph.D., who are co-inventors on the allowed patent," said Dr. Mark A. Varney, Cortex President and CEO.

"This patent will make Cortex's low impact AMPAKINE platform more attractive for partnering due to the superiority of these latest AMPAKINE compounds in potency, safety and patent life over earlier low impact AMPAKINE compounds. With 17 years of patent life remaining on CX1739 and other compounds in this allowed patent, Cortex looks forward to developing, partnering and commercializing these new AMPAKINE compounds for the treatment of neurological and cardio-respiratory diseases, as well as psychiatric disorders, such as ADHD, depression and schizophrenia," said Dr. Varney. "Cortex's strategy has been to file patents aggressively on new inventions. This patent application has been filed broadly in major markets, and patent prosecution in these other countries continues," stated Dr Varney.

AMPAKINE compounds have previously demonstrated proof-of-concept in clinical studies in ADHD, and in the prevention of opiate-induced respiratory depression. Earlier this year, Cortex reported results from a Phase IIa sleep lab study with CX1739 in subjects with moderate to severe sleep apnea. The results from this study suggested a potential opportunity for CX1739 in the treatment of central sleep apnea, which is often seen in heart failure patients and chronic opiate users.