Achillion wins new US patent

Achillion Pharmaceuticals, a US-based biopharmaceutical company has announced that the US Patent & Trademark Office has granted Achillion a US patent related to the company’s NS4A antagonists to treat the hepatitis C virus. This new patent includes novel mechanism of action claims and expires in 2025.

In collaboration with Gilead Sciences, Achillion is evaluating a series of product candidates that specifically recognize a new hepatitis C virus (HCV) target, NS4A. As a result of their novel mechanism of action, broad potency against HCV, potential for oral administration and demonstrated lack of cross resistance, Achillion believes there could be significant market opportunity for its compounds in this area of unmet medical need.

Michael Kishbauch, Achillion’s president and chief executive officer, said: In addition to securing intellectual property protection for these novel compounds, we believe this key patent grant underscores Achillion’s strength in discovery and development and provides a cornerstone of our patent portfolio for novel NS4A antagonists. In partnership with Gilead Sciences, the NS4A program continues to advance toward human clinical trials, which we hope to commence in 2009.