Indevus Pharmaceuticals, Inc announced the issuance of US Patent No 7,410,978 (978 patent), entitled "Once Daily Dosage Forms of Trospium," which is licensed exclusively to the company by the patent's assignee, Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

The '978 patent covers the company's approved product, Sanctura XR, a once-a-day formulation of trospium chloride which is indicated for the treatment of symptoms of an overactive bladder. Based on calculations made by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the term of the '978 patent is twenty years plus 89 days from its filing date of November 4, 2004, or February 1, 2025.

In September 2007, the company entered into an agreement with Allergan, Inc by which, the company granted Allergan an exclusive sublicense to market Sanctura XR in the United States. Allergan and Indevus launched Sanctura XR in the US in January 2008. Indevus licensed to Rottapharm Madaus Group the right to market Sanctura XR in certain territories outside the US, except in Canada, Japan, Korea and China, where the company and Rottapharm Madaus have joint rights. In May 2008, Indevus and Rottapharm Madaus licensed rights to market Sanctura XR in Canada to Allergan.

Sanctura and Sanctura XR belong to a class of anticholinergic compounds known as muscarinic receptor antagonists. These compounds relax detrusor smooth muscle tissue found in the bladder, thus decreasing bladder contractions. Overactive or unstable detrusor muscle function is believed to be the cause of overactive bladder.

Indevus Pharmaceuticals is a specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the acquisition, development and commercialization of products to treat conditions in urology and endocrinology.