IntelGenx (TSXV:IGX; OTCQX:IGXT) received a Decision to Grant notice from the Japanese Patent Office (JPO) for the VersaFilm formulation used in its thin oral film RIZAPORT product for the treatment of acute migraines.
When the JPO’s administrative process is complete, the patent would provide intellectual property protection in Japan for VersaFilm RIZAPORT through 2034. The Decision to Grant notice is the final approval stage and precedes actual granting, which is expected shortly.
IntelGenx has received similar patent protection from the European Patent Office in 2018 and from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 2016, and has additional applications pending in other countries.
“This allowance adds to the formidable intellectual property estate that we are building for RIZAPORT around the globe,” Dr. Horst Zerbe, president and CEO, said in a statement. Japan is the world’s third-largest pharmaceutical market and represents a significant commercial opportunity for RIZAPORT, he added.
“Moving forward, we will be actively seeking a marketing partner for the product in this jurisdiction.”
