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MediciNova Receives Notice of Allowance for New Patent Covering MN-166 (ibudilast) for the Treatment of Progressive MS

Written by Customer Service on . Posted in Public Companies.

LA JOLLA, Calif., Dec. 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MediciNova, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company traded on the NASDAQ Global Market (NASDAQ:MNOV) and the JASDAQ Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Code Number: 4875), today announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a pending patent application which covers the combination of MN-166 (ibudilast) and interferon-beta for the treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis (progressive MS).
Once issued, the patent maturing from this allowed patent application is expected to expire no earlier than October 2039.  The allowed claims cover a method of (i) alleviating the negative effects of progressive multiple sclerosis, (ii) treating progressive multiple sclerosis, or (iii) slowing the progression of progressive multiple sclerosis by administering MN-166 (ibudilast) and interferon-beta in separate dosage forms.   The allowed claims specifically cover the treatment of both primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). The allowed claims cover a wide range of doses of both MN-166 (ibudilast) and interferon-beta and a range of different dosing frequencies for each medication.Yuichi Iwaki, MD, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of MediciNova, Inc., commented, “We are very pleased to receive notice that this new patent will be granted. Our analysis of the data from our completed Phase 2b trial in progressive MS indicated that there may be a synergistic effect of the combination of MN-166 and interferon-beta which could result in an even lower risk of disability progression compared to the risk reduction for MN-166 alone. We believe this patent could substantially increase the potential value of MN-166 as it provides more options for further development and commercialization.”About Progressive Multiple SclerosisAccording to the National MS Society, MS affects approximately 2.3 million people worldwide. Approximately 85% of MS patients are initially diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS (RRMS). Many RRMS patients will eventually transition into secondary progressive MS (SPMS) in which there are fewer or no relapses but gradual worsening of neurologic function. Approximately 15% of MS patients are diagnosed with primary progressive MS (PPMS) at onset and exhibit gradually increasing disability in walking, vision, mental acuity, and other bodily functions without experiencing relapses or remissions. Current therapies for MS affect the inflammatory response, but provide limited benefit for the neurodegeneration seen in progressive MS. There is a significant unmet medical need for agents that may provide neuroprotection in progressive MS.About MN-166 (ibudilast)MN-166 (ibudilast) is a first-in-class, orally bioavailable, small molecule macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) inhibitor and phosphodiesterase (PDE) -4 and -10 inhibitor that suppresses pro-inflammatory cytokines and promotes neurotrophic factors. Our earlier human studies demonstrated significant reductions of serum MIF level after treatment with MN-166 (ibudilast). It also attenuates activated glial cells, which play a major role in certain neurological conditions. MN-166 (ibudilast)’s anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective actions have been demonstrated in preclinical and clinical studies, which provide the rationale for treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases such as glioblastoma (GBM), and substance abuse/addiction. MediciNova is developing MN-166 for ALS, progressive MS and other neurological conditions such as degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM), glioblastoma, substance abuse/addiction, and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, as well as prevention of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19. MediciNova has a portfolio of patents which covers the use of MN-166 (ibudilast) to treat various diseases including ALS, progressive MS, and drug addiction.About MediciNova

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