Egalet Announces Issuance of U.S. Patent

MALVERN, Pa., July 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Egalet Ltd., a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing safe, effective and tamper-resistant medications, announced today a notice of allowance by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its patent application Serial No. 2007/0042044 entitled: "Matrix Compositions for Controlled Delivery of Drug Substances." 

The patent relates to the Egalet® prolonged release technology.  The composition described by the patent family is utilized for all the Egalet® opioid products tested in clinical trials including the new improved tablet construction that has a very hard shell surrounding the erodible matrix containing the opioid. 

"This U.S. allowance adds to our patent portfolio that provides us with extensive coverage until 2033 for our novel, tamper-resistant technology," said Bob Radie, CEO and president.  "With the growing issue of abuse of pain medications, we believe we are well positioned to address the need for new safe treatments with Egalet's tamper-resistant opioids currently in development." 

Egalet has protected its inventions via extensive patenting and by know-how protection. The patent portfolio comprises both patent applications and issued patents that protect Egalet's different technologies as well as patent applications and issued patents that are specifically related to the product opportunities in the pipeline. This U.S. patent adds to the patents that have already been issued in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, India, Japan and Hong Kong.      

About Egalet Ltd.
Egalet Ltd. is a specialty pharmaceutical company using its patented technology to produce novel therapeutics on its own and with partners.  Based on the proprietary technology, Egalet is developing a pipeline of tamper-resistant opioids that are nearing pivotal testing.  In addition, Egalet has collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in the initial phase of clinical testing. 

Egalet has pioneered one of the world's first erosion-based delivery technologies to enable the controlled release of drugs through gradual erosion of a tablet.   In addition, the Egalet® technology, a novel, patented drug delivery platform, was designed to prevent easy extraction and to deter the abuse of medications via known routes of abuse, including chewing, snorting, and injecting.  The uniquely shaped, patient-friendly tablet consists of matrix and can add a shell or coat.  By altering the composition of the shell and matrix, a variety of extended-release formulations can be produced.  The technology offers a predictable and tailored pharmacokinetic profile, lacks a significant food effect and alcohol dose dumping, and can be used with a broad range of opioids and non-opioids.  Egalet has extensively filed patents to protect its inventions covering both the technology and product-specific patents.  Please visit www.egalet.com for more information.

Contact:
E. Blair Schoeb
Tel.: 908-277-0386
Email: [email protected]  

SOURCE Egalet Ltd.