Vistagen has received a Canadian Notice of Allowance for a patent related to the use of AV-101 in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients.
The company received the Notice of Allowance from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office.
The treatment reduces the sudden uncontrolled movements, or dyskinesia, caused by using levodopa (L-Dopa), a PD medication.
AV-101 is an oral prodrug that acts on the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR).
The patent in Canada is valid until 2034.
According to preclinical findings from the MPTP [1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine] non-human primate model of the disease, AV-101 substantially cut down L-Dopa-induced dyskinesia without impacting the degree, timing or length of L-Dopa’s benefits.
Behavioural scores using a dyskinesia scale and a Parkinsonian disability scale were utilised for measuring L-Dopa anti-Parkinsonian efficacy.
No adverse events linked to AV-101 were observed.
In all clinical trials concluded so far, the drug was found to be well-tolerated without any serious adverse psychological side effects or other safety issues.
The company plans to advance AV-101 into the Phase IIA development stage for treating a range of neurological ailments involving the NMDAR.
Vistagen’s AV-101 had earlier received a patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office.
In spite of the dyskinesia risk, oral L-Dopa is the gold standard therapy for motor symptoms in people with PD.
In June 2023, the European Patent Office issued an intention to grant a patent for the company’s PH80 nasal spray to treat migraine.