Ohr Pharmaceutical Inc. announced that it has been awarded a new US patent (#7,728,157) that includes claims related to a method of synthesis used in the development of the company's EVIZON therapeutic agent for the treatment of Wet-AMD, among other compounds. The patent is titled "Regioselective and Stereoselective Oxidation of Fused Ring Systems Useful for the Preparation of Aminosterols." This is the first patent issued for this intellectual property and it expires in 2023.

Dr Irach B Taraporewala, chief executive officer, said that the new patent covers a simplified, more efficient, cost-effective process of synthesizing Squalamine, Trodusquemine and related aminosterols, which is an optimal way to manufacture the Company's compounds.

"Our new synthesis method is not only more cost-effective, but is also more scalable. It shortens the manufacturing process by eliminating steps and the need for purification," said Dr Taraporewala. "Manufacturing advances and the intellectual property surrounding them not only add value to the company's efforts towards US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, but also create additional barriers to competition."

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a medical condition which usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision. It occurs in "dry" and "wet" forms. Wet-AMD accounts for approximately 15 per cent of all AMD, yet is responsible for 90 per cent of severe vision loss associated with AMD.

According to the National Eye Institute (NEI), the prevalence of Wet-AMD among adults 40 years or older in the US alone is estimated at 1.75 million people. Further, more than 200,000 new cases are diagnosed yearly in the US. Estimates indicate that the worldwide market is expected to grow to approximately US$2.8 billion by 2013.

"This new patent strengthens our position as we continue development of our two later stage lead drugs, EVIZON and OHR/AVR 118 for the treatment of Cancer Cachexia, a severe wasting disorder associated with late stage Cancer patients," added Dr Taraporewala. "We look forward to continuing this development and bringing our pipeline of drugs to market."

Ohr currently owns or has applied for more than 100 US and foreign patents.

Ohr Pharmaceutical Inc. is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of first in class drugs for underserved therapeutic needs.