USPTO grants KL4 surfactant combination product patent to Discovery Labs

Discovery Laboratories, Inc. (Nasdaq:DSCOD) has been notified that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued U.S. Patent Number 7,863,241 titled "Compositions for Treatment and Prevention of Pulmonary Conditions." The patent provides broad coverage for compositions that employ a combination of certain pulmonary surfactants with a broad array of protease inhibitors, administered as either a liquid or aerosol, for treating pulmonary inflammation. Dr. Charles Cochrane, the original inventor of Discovery Labs' proprietary surfactant technology and co-founder of The Scripps Research Institute, is the inventor of this newly-issued patent. The Scripps Research Institute has granted Discovery Labs exclusive licensing rights for this patent. The patent term expires in 2023.

Dr. Thomas F. Miller, Chief Operating Officer of Discovery Labs, commented, "We are very pleased with the USPTO's decision to grant our first KL4 surfactant combination product patent. Combining certain protease inhibitors with KL4 surfactant may facilitate more flexible delivery and meaningfully improve the clinical benefit to patients with respiratory disorders. We plan to continue strengthening our patent portfolio around KL4 surfactant and our proprietary aerosol technologies to address a wide range of respiratory disorders."

Several protease inhibitors are approved for use in serious pulmonary conditions. However, while inhaled protease inhibitors are currently under development, no such therapy is believed to be approved for use in aerosolized form for direct delivery to the lung. Discovery's KL4 surfactant may function as an advantaged pulmonary drug delivery system given its novel liposomal structure, completely synthetic composition, and ability to be delivered as an aerosol. Additionally, the immune modulatory properties of KL4 surfactant may complement the pharmacologic activity of protease inhibitors.