Avanir Receives Notice of Allowance For Zenvia Patient

Avanir Pharmaceuticals has received a ‘Notice of Allowance’ from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for Zenvia. USPTO intends to grant the company a new patent, extending the period of commercial exclusivity for its lead drug candidate – Zenvia well into 2025. Zenvia uses a combinations of dextromethorphan and quinidin to treat pseudobulbar affect(PBA).

This US patent titled “Pharmaceutical Compositions Comprising Dextromethorphan and Quinidine for the Treatment of Neurological Disorders” is exoected to provide Avanir with patent protection for low-dose quinidine formulations of Zenvia.

The data suggested that the drug met its primary efficacy endpoint in its confirmatory phase III STAR trial in PBA. Currently, for PBA, there are no FDA approved treatments.

The company said that it also has exclusive rights to a family of patents and patent applications that claim methods of treating PBA, chronic pain, as well as other neurologic conditions.

Greg Flesher, VP of business development at Avanir, said: “We are very pleased with the decision by the USPTO to grant this patent for our low-dose quinidine formulations of Zenvia for treating pseudobulbar affect.”

Keith Katkin, president and CEO at Avanir, said: “The granting of a new US patent for Zenvia represents another successful milestone for Avanir.”