KYTHERA receives U.S. patent allowance for ATX-101

KYTHERA Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. (KYTHERA) today announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a patent application that claims synthetic deoxycholic acid or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, including the synthetic form that is used in ATX-101, a potential first-in-class, injectable drug under clinical investigation for the reduction of submental fat, which commonly presents as an undesirable "double chin."    

"The allowance of this patent application claiming certain forms of synthetic deoxycholic acid adds an additional patent asset to our ATX-101 patent portfolio, a portfolio that already includes patents related to method of use, formulation and manufacturing processes," said Keith Leonard, KYTHERA's President and CEO. "We are pleased to add a compound claim to our intellectual property protection as we continue to investigate the safety and efficacy of ATX-101."

The patent that is issuable from this allowed application, Serial No. 12/541,045, titled "Synthetic Bile Acid Compositions and Methods," is projected to expire in 2028. Once issued, this forthcoming compound patent will be the sixth patent the USPTO has issued in relation to ATX-101. In addition to these U.S. patents, KYTHERA has over 70 issued or allowed patents outside the U.S., including patents in the major markets of Europe covering non-surgical methods of removing localized fat accumulation using deoxycholic acid. KYTHERA also has more than 70 pending worldwide patent applications and is preparing to file additional new patent applications to further strengthen its intellectual property portfolio.