On June 5, 2024 MediciNova, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company traded on the NASDAQ Global Market (NASDAQ:MNOV) and the Standard Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Code Number: 4875), reported that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a pending patent application which covers MN-166 (ibudilast) for the prevention of metastasis in various cancers including pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, melanoma, and ovarian cancer (Press release, MediciNova, JUN 5, 2024, https://investors.medicinova.com/news-releases/news-release-details/medicinova-receives-notice-allowance-new-patent-covering-mn-31 [SID1234644145]).
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Once issued, this patent is expected to expire no earlier than July 2042. The allowed claims cover the use of MN-166 (ibudilast) in combination with one or more additional therapies including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, photodynamic therapy, epigenetic therapy, and liver-directed therapy and others. The allowed claims specifically cover the use of MN-166 (ibudilast) for preventing, ameliorating, or minimizing metastasis of various cancers including pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, melanoma, or ovarian cancer. The allowed claims cover oral administration, a wide range of doses, a range of different dosing frequencies, and a range of different treatment periods.
Kazuko Matsuda, MD, PhD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer of MediciNova, Inc., commented, "Cancer metastasis is often the major driver of cancer-related deaths rather than the primary cancer. Recently we were granted a patent *1 to cover preventing metastasis of uveal melanoma. We are delighted to see our growing intellectual property patent portfolio and value of MN-166 (ibudilast) increase with the addition of patents covering the prevention of metastasis of various solid tumors."
*1: MediciNova Receives Notice of Allowance for New Patent Covering MN-166 (ibudilast) for the Prevention of Metastasis of Eye Cancer
https://investors.medicinova.com/news-releases/news-release-details/medicinova-receives-notice-allowance-new-patent-covering-mn-30
About MN-166 (ibudilast)
MN-166 (ibudilast) is a small molecule compound that inhibits phosphodiesterase type-4 (PDE4) and inflammatory cytokines, including macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). It is in late-stage clinical development for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), progressive MS (multiple sclerosis), and DCM (degenerative cervical myelopathy); and is also in development for glioblastoma, Long COVID, CIPN (chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy), and substance use disorder. In addition, MN-166 (ibudilast) was evaluated in patients that are at risk for developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).