USPTO issues patent to QRxPharma’s MoxDuo for treatment of acute and chronic pain

May 24 2012

QRxPharma Limited (ASX: QRX and OTCQX: QRXPY) announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued the Company U.S. Patent No. 8,182,837, which does not expire until 2023.  This patent covers a method of treatment of pain comprising the administration of the oral Dual Opioid® compositions of MoxDuo IR (Immediate Release) for the treatment of acute pain as well as MoxDuo CR (Controlled Release) for the treatment of chronic pain.

"This patent is a key component of our intellectual property (IP) portfolio that provides long term market exclusivity for QRxPharma's MoxDuo opioid products for the treatment of acute and chronic pain," said Dr. John Holaday, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.  "This issued patent expands our global IP protection as we look to the commercialisation of our first product, MoxDuo IR, in the third quarter of this year."

The original composition of matter patent granted by the USPTO (U.S. Patent No. 6,310,072) covers the combination of morphine and oxycodone and provides coverage until 2016.  The newly issued patent is directed to a method of treatment of pain using MoxDuo's composition as defined ratio of morphine/oxycodone (3/2), and will not expire until 2023.  Further patents granted in 2011 (U.S. Patents Nos. 7,923,453 and 8,012,990) extend MoxDuo IR IP protection to 2029 and cover a proprietary dosing algorithm for converting patients from intravenous opioid administration to MoxDuo IR, thereby more effectively and safely managing acute pain following surgery.

In April, QRxPharma announced the successful completion of two Phase 1 studies in healthy volunteers for MoxDuo CR, a controlled-release Dual-Opioid utilising a 3:2 ratio of morphine and oxycodone.  The proprietary MoxDuo CR formulation, encompassing both sustained delivery technology as well as abuse deterrent and tamper resistant features, is the subject of additional pending global patent applications.