Acorda Therapeutics receives U.S. patent allowance for aminopyridine compositions

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOR) today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has allowed U.S. Patent Application No. 11/102,559 entitled "Method of Using Sustained Release Aminopyridine Compositions." The claims of the patent application relate to methods to improve walking, walking speed, lower extremity muscle tone and lower extremity muscle strength in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) by administering 10 mg of sustained release 4-aminopyridine (dalfampridine) twice daily. This patent application is separate from the AMPYRA^® method of use patent application which was allowed by the USPTO in April 2011.

"The allowance of this patent application further strengthens our patent protection for AMPRYA and enhances our ability to continue exploring potential new uses and indications, both in MS and other diseases," said Ron Cohen, M.D., President and CEO of Acorda Therapeutics. "The discoveries we made during our development of AMPYRA, several of which are reflected in this patent, were critical to receiving FDA approval and making this therapy available to people with MS who have walking impairment. We are pleased that the UPTO has recognized these findings as innovative and valuable contributions to medicine."

The patent issuing from Application No. 11/102,559 is currently set to expire in April 2025, but is also eligible for patent term adjustment, to be determined by the USPTO based on the prosecution history. This patent is eligible for listing in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Orange Book.

Sustained release 4-aminopyridine is marketed in the United States under the trade name AMPRYA^® (dalfampridine) Extended Release Tablets, 10 mg. AMPYRA is an oral medication approved by the FDA as a treatment to improve walking in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This was demonstrated by an increase in walking speed.

Source: Acorda Therapeutics, Inc.