Medicis announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued another Notice of Allowance to Medicis for a United States patent application related to Solodyn in 90mg tablet form. For the week ending April 3, 2009, the 90mg strength represented over 60 per cent of total Solodyn prescriptions.

The patent application is US Application No. 11/695,539, entitled 'Minocycline Oral Dosage Forms For The Treatment Of Acne'. The newly allowed claims include subject matter covering a controlled-release oral dosage form of minocycline to treat acne.

"We are pleased to announce another Notice of Allowance by the USPTO," said Jonah Shacknai, chairman and chief executive officer of Medicis. "This represents an important element of maintaining the Solodyn franchise. These allowed patent claims, when issued, will enhance the intellectual property protection of our Solodyn brand."

A Notice of Allowance generally completes the substantive examination of a patent application. The normal process which results in final issuance of a United States patent involves several administrative steps that are typically completed in due course following issuance of such a notice.

Solodyn has one issued patent, US patent No. 5,908,838, which expires in 2018, related to the use of the Solodyn unique dissolution rate, and earlier this month received a Notice of Allowance on a second application. The company has a number of US patent applications associated with the Solodyn programme on file at the USPTO.

Launched to dermatologists in July 2006 after approval by the US Food and Drug Administration on May 8, 2006, Solodyn is the only branded oral minocycline approved for once daily dosage in the treatment of inflammatory lesions of non-nodular moderate to severe acne vulgaris in patients 12 years of age and older.

Medicis is the leading independent specialty pharmaceutical company in the United States focusing primarily on the treatment of dermatological and aesthetic conditions.