The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted US Patent No. 8,974,363  to Provectus Biopharmaceuticals, Inc (Provectus). The new patent, entitled "Topical medicaments and methods for photodynamic treatment of disease," provides detailed protection of the company's investigational dermatological drug PH-10.

Dr. Craig Dees, PhD, CEO of Provectus, said, "This is our 29th patent awarded in the United States, and it protects our PH-10 preparation of rose bengal in the treatment of a number of diseases, especially those affecting the skin but not limited to them. It also covers the use of PH-10 against diseases of the mouth and digestive tract, the urinary tract and reproductive system, the respiratory tract and all organs related to those. In addition, it protects the use of PH-10 in treating tissue surfaces exposed during surgery and tissue affected by microbial and parasitic infection. Delivery of PH-10 in liquid, semi-solid and aerosol forms are covered."

He added, "We believe that PH-10 may have multiple medical uses. Much as our investigational agent PV-10 appears promising for melanoma, liver cancer, breast cancer and so on, PH-10 may prove itself useful in treating many different types of tissue disease, disorder and damage. Provectus is engaged in several research projects at differing stages of development to determine just how broad its applications may be."

Provectus Biopharmaceuticals specializes in developing oncology and dermatology therapies. PV-10, its novel investigational drug for cancer, is designed for injection into solid tumors (intralesional administration), thereby reducing potential for systemic side effects.