WARRINGTON, Pa., Jan. 17, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Discovery Laboratories, Inc. (Nasdaq:DSCO) today announced it has received a patent issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) entitled "Pulmonary Surfactant Formulations." The claims of the patent (U.S. Patent Number 8,337,815) provide coverage for synthetic pulmonary surfactant compositions comprising a combination of a proprietary synthetic peptide and various lipids. The patent term expires in December 2028.
"The Company's strategy is to seek broad patent protection in the field of synthetic surfactants," said John G. Cooper, President and Chief Executive Officer at Discovery Labs. "This patent, together with our existing KL4 formulation patents covering SURFAXIN® and combinations of pulmonary surfactant with protease inhibitors, as well as our patents covering methods of use and manufacture, provides a strong foundation for our continued leadership in the development of synthetic surfactants."
This patent provides exclusivity for new formulations of KL4 surfactant and is separate and distinct from the patent portfolios covering SURFAXIN, the Company's lead KL4 surfactant product, and AEROSURF®, the Company's lead KL4 surfactant development program.
Discovery Laboratories, Inc. is a specialty biotechnology company with one focus – to advance a new standard in respiratory critical care. Discovery Labs' novel proprietary KL4 surfactant technology produces a synthetic, peptide-containing surfactant that is structurally similar to pulmonary surfactant and is being developed in liquid, lyophilized, and aerosolized dosage forms. Discovery Labs is also developing its proprietary drug delivery technologies to enable efficient delivery of aerosolized KL4 surfactant and other inhaled therapies. Discovery Labs believes that its proprietary technologies make it possible, for the first time, to develop a significant pipeline of products to address a variety of respiratory diseases for which there frequently are few or no approved therapies.
Discovery Labs' strategy is initially focused on the development of its technologies to improve the management of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in premature infants. Discovery Labs believes that its RDS product portfolio has the potential to become the new standard of care for RDS and, over time, to significantly expand the current worldwide RDS market.
For more information, please visit our website at www.Discoverylabs.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
To the extent that statements in this press release are not strictly historical, all such statements are forward-looking and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. Examples of such risks and uncertainties are described in Discovery Labs' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the most recent reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K, and any amendments thereto. Any forward-looking statement in this release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Discovery Labs assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.