KYTHERA
Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (KYTHERA) today announced that it has
received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
(USPTO) for a patent application that claims synthetic deoxycholic acid
or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, including the synthetic
form that is used in ATX-101, a potential first-in-class, injectable
drug under clinical investigation for the reduction of submental fat,
which commonly presents as an undesirable "double chin."
"The allowance of this patent application claiming certain forms of
synthetic deoxycholic acid adds an additional patent asset to our
ATX-101 patent portfolio, a portfolio that already includes patents
related to method of use, formulation and manufacturing processes," said
Keith Leonard, KYTHERA's President and CEO. "We are pleased to add a
compound claim to our intellectual property protection as we continue to
investigate the safety and efficacy of ATX-101."
The patent that is issuable from this allowed application, Serial No.
12/541,045, titled "Synthetic Bile Acid Compositions and Methods," is
projected to expire in 2028. Once issued, this forthcoming compound
patent will be the sixth patent the USPTO has issued in relation to
ATX-101. In addition to these U.S. patents, KYTHERA has over 70 issued
or allowed patents outside the U.S., including patents in the major
markets of Europe covering non-surgical methods of removing localized
fat accumulation using deoxycholic acid. KYTHERA also has more than 70
pending worldwide patent applications and is preparing to file
additional new patent applications to further strengthen its
intellectual property portfolio.