RALEIGH, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SLXP) today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued three patents relating to rifaximin.
U.S. Patent No. 7,928,115 (the ‘115 patent), which issued April 19, 2011, provides protection to methods of treating Travelers’ Diarrhea (TD) with rifaximin. This patent should provide protection until July 24, 2029. This invention was a product of Salix’s internal innovation and Salix is the assignee of all the rights and title to this patent. The ‘115 patent provides protection for the TD indication for the rifaximin 200mg product that the Company markets in the United States under the trade name XIFAXAN®.
U.S. Patent No. 7,906,542 (the ‘542 patent), which issued March 15, 2011, provides protection relating to pharmaceutical compositions comprising rifaximin in polymorphic forms. This patent should provide protection until June 1, 2025. Additionally, U.S. Patent No. 7,902,206 (the ‘206 patent), which issued March 8, 2011 provides protection relating to rifaximin in polymorphic form alpha free from other polymorphic forms of rifaximin not derived from Form alpha by water absorption or release. This patent should provide protection until June 19, 2024.
Salix has an exclusive license to the ‘542 and ‘206 patents from Alfa Wassermann S.p.A. to use, sell, have sold and import licensed rifaximin products, which the Company markets in the United States under the trade names XIFAXAN® (200mg) and XIFAXAN550™ (550mg). The ‘542 and ‘206 patents provide protection for all indications currently marketed and being assessed.
About XIFAXAN® (rifaximin)
Rifaximin is a gut-selective antibiotic with negligible systemic absorption and broad-spectrum activity in vitro against both gram-positive and gram-negative pathogens. Rifaximin has a similar tolerability profile to that of placebo.
Rifaximin tablets 200 mg is approved in over 30 countries worldwide. Alfa Wassermann S.p.A. in Bologna, Italy has marketed rifaximin in Italy under the trade name Normix® for over 30 years. Salix acquired rights to market rifaximin in North America from Alfa Wassermann.
Important Safety Information
Rifaximin tablets 200 mg, which Salix markets in the U.S. under the trade name XIFAXAN® (rifaximin) tablets 200 mg, currently is approved for the treatment of patients, 12 years of age or older, with travelers' diarrhea (TD) caused by non–invasive strains of Escherichia coli. XIFAXAN should not be used in patients with diarrhea complicated by fever or blood in the stool or diarrhea due to pathogens other than Escherichia coli. XIFAXAN should be discontinued if diarrhea symptoms get worse or persist more than 24–48 hours, and alternative antibiotic therapy should be considered. In clinical trials, XIFAXAN was generally well-tolerated. The most common side effects (versus placebo) were flatulence 11.3 percent (versus 19.7 percent), headache 9.7 percent (versus 9.2 percent), abdominal pain 7.2 percent (versus 10.1 percent) and rectal tenesmus 7.2 percent (versus 8.8 percent).
XIFAXAN 550 mg tablets are indicated for reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE) recurrence in patients ≥ 18 years of age. In the trials of XIFAXAN 550 mg tablets for HE, 91 percent of the patients were using lactulose concomitantly. XIFAXAN 550 mg tablets have not been studied in patients with MELD scores > 25, and only 8.6 percent of patients in the controlled trial had MELD scores over 19. There is increased systemic exposure in patients with more severe hepatic dysfunction. Therefore, caution should be exercised when administering XIFAXAN 550 mg tablets to patients with severe hepatic impairment (Child–Pugh C).
XIFAXAN 550 mg tablets are contraindicated in patients with a hypersensitivity to rifaximin, any of the rifamycin antimicrobial agents, or any of the components in XIFAXAN 550 mg tablets. Hypersensitivity reactions have included exfoliative dermatitis, angioneurotic edema, and anaphylaxis.
Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea (CDAD) has been reported with use of nearly all antibacterial agents, including XIFAXAN 550 mg tablets, and may range in severity from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis. Treatment with antibacterial agents alters the normal flora of the colon which may lead to overgrowth of C. difficile. If CDAD is suspected or confirmed, ongoing antibiotic use not directed against C. difficile may need to be discontinued.
The most common adverse reactions occurring in >8 percent of patients in the clinical study were edema peripheral (15 percent), nausea (14 percent), dizziness (13 percent), fatigue (12 percent), ascites (11 percent), muscle spasms (9 percent), pruritus (9 percent), and abdominal pain (9 percent).
About Salix
Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, develops and markets prescription pharmaceutical products for the prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Salix’s strategy is to in-license late-stage or marketed proprietary therapeutic drugs, complete any required development and regulatory submission of these products, and market them through the Company’s gastroenterology specialty sales and marketing team.
Salix markets XIFAXAN® (rifaximin) tablets 200 mg and 550 mg, MOVIPREP® (PEG 3350, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Ascorbate and Ascorbic Acid for Oral Solution), OSMOPREP® (sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate, USP and sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous, USP) Tablets, VISICOL® (sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate, USP, and sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous, USP) Tablets, APRISO™ (mesalamine) extended-release capsules 0.375 g, METOZOLV® ODT (metoclopramide HCl), RELISTOR® (methylnaltrexone bromide) Subcuataneous Injection, PEPCID® (famotidine) for Oral Suspension, Oral Suspension DIURIL® (Chlorothiazide), AZASAN® (Azathioprine) Tablets, USP, 75/100 mg, ANUSOL-HC® 2.5% (Hydrocortisone Cream, USP), ANUSOL-HC® 25 mg Suppository (Hydrocortisone Acetate), PROCTOCORT® Cream (Hydrocortisone Cream, USP) 1% and PROCTOCORT® Suppository (Hydrocortisone Acetate Rectal Suppositories) 30 mg. Crofelemer, budesonide foam, RELISTOR®, Lumacan™ and rifaximin for additional indications are under development.
For full prescribing information and important safety information on Salix products, including BOXED WARNINGS for VISICOL, OSMOPREP and METOZOLV, please visit www.salix.com where the Company promptly posts press releases, SEC filings and other important information or contact the Company at 919 862-1000.
Salix trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “SLXP”.
For more information, please visit our Website at www.salix.com or contact the Company at 919-862-1000. Follow us on Twitter (@SalixPharma) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/SalixPharma). Information on our web site is not incorporated in our SEC filings.
Please Note: The materials provided herein contain projections and other forward–looking statements regarding future events. Such statements are just predictions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual events or results to differ materially. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: generic and other competition; litigation and the possible impairment of, or inability to obtain, intellectual property rights and the costs of obtaining such rights from third parties; the cost, timing and results of clinical trials and other development activities involving pharmaceutical products; the unpredictability of the duration and results of regulatory review of New Drug Applications and Investigational NDAs; market acceptance for approved products; revenue recognition and other critical accounting policies; and the need to acquire new products. The reader is referred to the documents that the Company files from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.