Pilot Therapeutics Holdings Inc has received a notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a patent covering its product, PLT 732, that markedly reduces serum triglycerides in hypertriglyceridemia patients.

"Hypertriglyceridemia, or elevated triglyceride levels, has been identified as an important risk factor for several human diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes," explained Floyd H. "Ski" Chilton, Pilot's president and chief executive officer. "Despite recent studies showing elevated triglycerides as a major risk factor for these diseases, there are few therapeutic options. The allowance of these patent claims is clearly an important milestone that will allow us to address this problem in some of the largest medical markets in the United States."

Studies sponsored by Pilot indicated PLT 732 markedly reduces triglycerides in hypertriglyceridemic patients and point out the potential for PLT 732 to play a major role in managing elevated triglyceride levels associated with a wide range of human diseases. "The studies demonstrate the feasibility of managing circulating triglyceride concentrations with PLT 732," said Marc Surette, Pilot's vice president of research and the inventor of the PLT 732 technology. "The allowance of these patent claims represents a crucial next step in Pilot's development of additional products in this area."