potential new treatment for ms

Pharmaxis has potential new treatment for MS
12:23, Friday, 26 November 2004

Sydney - Friday - November 26: (RWE Australian Business News) -
Pharmaxis has extended the intellectual property protection for its autoimmune disease research, with the grant of a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a potential new treatment for multiple sclerosis.
This is one of Pharmaxis's portfolio of 26 patents and patent applications in the USA, Europe, Australia and worldwide, which includes patents covering asthma and COPD for Aridol and Bronchitol.
It is consistent with the company's intellectual property policy of identifying new research outcomes and protecting its commercial interest.
Pharmaxis chief executive officer Mr Alan Robertson said the granting of the US patent was an important commercial milestone, and testament to the company's innovative approach to treating autoimmune disease.
"This patent protects our intellectual property, and provides market exclusivity in the world's most important pharmaceutical market," he said.
The patent relates to a series of molecules that inhibit immune cell trafficking which are expected to assist treatment of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system and affects about 1.1 million people in the developed world, including 15,000 Australians.
Although treatments aimed at delaying the progression of the disease exist, there is no cure.