This patent provides for once-weekly oral administration of selective inhibitors of type 1 and/or type 2 isoforms of steroid 5a-reductase to patients with nodulocystic and conglobate acne vulgaris. These are the most severe types of acne vulgaris, affecting some 8-10 million patients in the United States and producing scarring and substantial functional disability as a result of the scars.
Elorac president and CEO Dr Jeffrey Bernstein noted the company is very pleased to receive the patent on this potential major medical advance.
"We believe our product has many advantages over existing therapies for nodulocystic or conglobate acne," Dr Bernstein added.
Elorac plans to initiate a Phase II double-blind clinical trial of its once-weekly high dose finasteride tablet within the next 12 months.