21 September 2017 - - Lexington, Massachusetts-based pulmonary disease inhaled therapeutics developer Pulmatrix, Inc. (NASDAQ: PULM) has received two new patents from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) that broaden the protection and potential applications for Pulmatrix's innovative inhaled drug delivery platform and for its most advanced drug candidate for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), PUR0200, the company said.
The first new patent expands the potential of Pulmatrix's technology for delivering drugs directly to the lungs. The company has developed a dry powder that 'flies' easily through the airways and can deliver a wide range of types of drugs.
Pulmatrix's iSPERSE drug delivery technology has already received extensive intellectual property protection. The technology significantly increases the efficiency of drug delivery and reduces side effects compared to existing approaches.
A drug is typically formulated in the iSPERSE matrix using "excipients"--typically inert ingredients like salts that enhance the drug's utility. Previous patents had provided intellectual property protection for the use of two such excipients. The new patent adds protection for the use of two more excipients.
The second new patent expands protections for Pulmatrix's PUR0200 drug candidate for COPD. PUR0200 combines tiotropium bromide, the active component in Spiriva, with Pulmatrix's drug delivery platform.
Clinical trials of PUR0200 have shown that the product is up to five times more efficient at delivering the drug to the lungs than are the currently marketed alternatives.
The new patent for PUR0200 broadens the intellectual property protection so that it's no longer limited to specific characteristics and performance criteria; it includes complete protection for the composition of the drug and certain dose ranges.
Pulmatrix is developing innovative inhaled therapies to address serious pulmonary disease. The company's proprietary product pipeline is focused on advancing treatments for rare diseases, including severe asthma, cystic fibrosis, COPD.
The company's product candidates are based on iSPERSE, its proprietary dry powder delivery platform, which seeks to improve therapeutic delivery to the lungs by maximizing local concentrations and reducing systemic side effects to improve patient outcomes.