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news.The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted a notice of allowance (NOA) to Alitair Pharmaceuticals' ion exchange resin formulation of benzonatate, a non-narcotic prescription cough product.
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The patent covers the potential of the resin-formulated drug in reducing or eliminating the choking hazard, which is associated with conventional liquid formulations of benzonatate.
Alitair president and CEO William Howard said benzonatate is the only non-narcotic prescription cough product, but in its current form, it has a significant choking hazard if a patient bites into the liquid-filled gel cap.
"Our oral solid ion exchange resin formulation has been shown to reduce or eliminate the choking hazard," Howard added.
"Our proprietary technology allows us to bind benzonatate to a resin particle, which represents a completely novel formulation approach and resolves this significant safety issue.
"This Notice of Allowance marks an important milestone in our benzonatate product development strategy and may be the key to benzonatate becoming a successful Rx-to-OTC switch candidate."