BEDMINSTER, N.J. and DUBLIN, Ireland, May 29, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amarin Corporation plc (Nasdaq:AMRN), a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on cardiovascular disease, announced today that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a patent covering the pharmaceutical composition of Amarin's AMR101 based on U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 12/052,598, also known as the EPA with no DHA in a capsule application. Amarin announced on March 20, 2012, the issuance of a Notice of Allowance for claims under this application. The newly issued patent, U.S. Patent No. 8,188,146, is titled "Highly Purified Ethyl EPA and Other EPA Derivatives."
"The issuance of this patent is an important step forward in strengthening Amarin's position as a leader in the next generation of lipid management therapy," said Joseph Zakrzewski, Amarin's Chairman and CEO. "Amarin's plan is to protect the commercial potential of AMR101 to 2030 and beyond. This plan consists of pursuing additional patent protection, seeking regulatory exclusivity, maintaining trade secrets and taking advantage of manufacturing barriers to entry."
This patent is part of an expanding patent portfolio for Amarin. Amarin is currently prosecuting more than 25 patent applications in the United States relating to AMR101.
About AMR101
AMR101 (icosapent ethyl) is an ultra pure omega-3 fatty acid, comprising not less than 96% EPA (icosapent ethyl), that Amarin is developing as a treatment for patients with very high triglyceride levels (≥500 mg/dL), and for patients with high triglyceride levels (≥200 and < 500mg/dL) who are also on statin therapy for elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or LDL-C, levels (which we refer to as mixed dyslipidemia). The efficacy and safety of AMR101 were studied in two Phase 3 clinical trials, the MARINE trial, which studied patients with very high triglyceride levels, and the ANCHOR trial, which studied patients with high triglyceride levels who were also on statin therapy for elevated LDL-C levels. These two Phase 3 clinical trials showed favorable results in triglyceride reduction compared to placebo in the studied patient populations. Reduction in triglyceride levels was achieved without a statistically significant increase in LDL-C levels, and in the 4 gram AMR101 ANCHOR results, with a statistically significant decrease in LDL-C levels. These trials also showed favorable results, particularly with the 4 gram dose of AMR101, in other important lipid and inflammation biomarkers, including Apo-B, non-HDL-C, Total-Cholesterol, VLDL-C, Lp-PLA2, and hs-CRP. In these trials, AMR101 exhibited a safety profile comparable to placebo. In December 2011, Amarin commenced patient dosing in a cardiovascular outcomes study of AMR101, titled REDUCE-IT (Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with EPA — Intervention Trial), that is designed to evaluate the efficacy of AMR101 in reducing major cardiovascular events in a high risk patient population on statin therapy.
About Amarin
Amarin Corporation plc is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company with expertise in lipid science focused on the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Amarin has filed a New Drug Application (NDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of its lead product candidate, AMR101, in the treatment of patients with very high triglyceride levels (the population studied in Amarin's MARINE trial), and the FDA has assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date of July 26, 2012. Amarin plans to separately seek approval for use of AMR101 in the treatment of patients with high triglyceride levels who are also on statin therapy for elevated LDL-C levels, the population studied in the ANCHOR trial, if the FDA approves the MARINE indication and after the REDUCE-IT cardiovascular outcomes trial is substantially underway. Each of the MARINE, ANCHOR and REDUCE-IT studies is the subject of a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreement with the FDA.
Forward looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements and implications about whether the issued patent would adequately cover the pharmaceutical composition of AMR101, the ability of the issued patent to strengthen Amarin's position as a leader in lipid management therapies, Amarin's plan to protect the commercial potential of AMR101, Amarin's plans to seek FDA approval of AMR101, the conduct of the company's cardiovascular outcomes study, and the potential populations and indications for which the company's product candidates may be approved by the FDA. These forward-looking statements are not promises or guarantees and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described or projected herein include the following: events that could interfere with the validity or enforceability of a patent; Amarin's ability generally to obtain additional patent protection, maintain adequate patent protection and successfully enforce patent claims against third parties; commercializing AMR101 without violating the intellectual property rights of others; the degree to which Amarin will obtain and maintain Hatch-Waxman exclusivity for AMR101; uncertainties associated generally with research and development, clinical trials and related regulatory reviews and approvals; the risk that SPAs are not a guarantee that FDA will approve a product candidate upon submission; and the risk that historical clinical trial enrollment rates may not be predictive of future results. A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other risks associated with an investment in Amarin can be found in Amarin's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Amarin undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.