The NexACT technology has been used in multiple Apricus Bio products, including Vitaros, Femprox and MycoVa.
The patent covers the synthesis of Dodecyl 2-(N, N-Dimethylamino)-Propionate (DDAIP), a small molecule permeation enhancer used in the NexACT drug delivery technology, by a transesterification chemical process, and when issued, this patent will protect the method of manufacture of DDAIP in Canada, and provides patent exclusivity to May 2020.
Additionally, the New Zealand Intellectual Property Office has issued a Notice of Acceptance for New Zealand patent application number 576,242, entitled "Stabilized Prostaglandin E Composition," which claims formulations of Vitaros, the company’s product candidate for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
The patent will grant exclusive rights to certain pharmaceutical compositions of Vitaros including its room temperature formulation in New Zealand, and also will provide patent exclusivity until October 2027.
Apricus Bio president and chief executive officer Bassam Damaj said the new patent allowances serve to further strengthen the company’s global intellectual property positions.
"We continue to pursue an aggressive patent strategy that we believe will protect the DDAIP compound and method of manufacture including those relating to our more advanced room temperature formulations, and we will meaningfully expand the market exclusivity of our products in important territories," Damaj added.