CORALVILLE, Iowa, Oct. 13, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KemPharm, Inc. (NASDAQ:KMPH), a clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of proprietary prodrugs, today announced several enhancements to KemPharm's U.S. and global intellectual property estate governing its portfolio of prodrug product candidates.
KemPharm was recently issued U.S. Patent No. 9,079,928 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its patent application entitled, "Methylphendiate-Oxoacid Conjugates, Processes of Making and Using the Same." The patent, which extends through 2032, provides composition of matter protection for KP415, KemPharm's prodrug of methylphendiate. The USPTO has also issued an additional composition of matter patent for KP201, KemPharm's prodrug of hydrocodone (U.S. Patent No. 9,132,125).
Additionally, KemPharm announced that KemPharm has received multiple ex-U.S. patents for KP511, KemPharm's prodrug of hydromorphone, and KP303, the company's prodrug of quetiapine. These new U.S. and global patents add to the intellectual property covering KemPharm's prodrug pipeline, which also includes previously granted USPTO composition of matter patent protection for KP201, KP303 and KP511.
Travis C. Mickle, Ph.D., President and CEO of KemPharm, stated, "Securing and enhancing the intellectual property governing our proprietary prodrug portfolio, both in the U.S. and globally, is a critical component of KemPharm's business and development strategy as it serves to protect our assets while demonstrating the highly differentiated aspects of our Ligand Activated Therapy (LAT) prodrug technology. The USPTO composition of matter patent for KP415 expands our patent estate beyond the pain market, thereby showcasing the broad applicability of our prodrug platform to create what we believe will be improved versions of approved and widely-prescribed drugs."
About KemPharm
KemPharm is a clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of prodrugs to treat serious medical conditions through its LAT platform technology. KemPharm utilizes its LAT platform technology to generate improved prodrug versions of FDA-approved drugs in the high need areas of pain, ADHD and other CNS disorders.
Caution Concerning Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements made in reliance upon the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts, and can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "expect," "project," "estimate," "anticipate," "plan," "believe," "potential," "should," "continue" or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future actions or performance. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to KemPharm and its current plans or expectations, and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could significantly affect current plans. Actual results and performance could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties associated with: KemPharm's financial resources and whether they will be sufficient to meet KemPharm's business objectives and operational requirements; results of earlier studies and trials may not be predictive of future clinical trial results, the protection and market exclusivity provided by KemPharm's intellectual property; risks related to the drug discovery and the regulatory approval process; and, the impact of competitive products and technological changes. KemPharm's forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they prove incorrect, would cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning KemPharm's business are described in additional detail in KemPharm's Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-202660) declared effective April 15, 2015, and KemPharm's other Periodic and Current Reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. KemPharm is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.