EPO upholds Nabi Biopharmaceuticals' opposition to Drug Abuse Therapy patent

Nabi Biopharmaceuticals (Nasdaq:NABI) announced today that the European Patent Office (EPO) upheld the Company's opposition to European Patent No. 1,329,226 (Hapten Carrier Conjugates for Use in Drug Abuse Therapy) requesting revocation of this patent. The EPO revoked this patent in its entirety.

The patent was filed by Xenova Research Limited, which was subsequently acquired by Celtic Pharma in 2005. On February 15, 2008, Nabi, along with four other parties, filed an opposition against this patent, requesting revocation of the Xenova patent in its entirety. As a result of this EPO decision, Celtic Pharma has lost its exclusive patent rights to nicotine conjugate vaccine technology in Europe. Xenova Research Limited, still named as the proprietor of the patent, has the opportunity to file a Notice of Appeal within a period of two months from the March 29, 2010 date of the EPO written decision.