Moberg Pharma subsidiary announces issue of European Patent related to BupiZenge

The new patent protects sustained-release lozenge containing bupivacaine, for treatment or alleviation of pain in the oral cavity. It is a divisional of the previously granted European patent 2 701 681, that specifically protects the use of lozenges for treatment of pain due to oral mucositis for cancer patients. BupiZenge has previously been granted patents with a similar scope in the United States and Canada.

"The patent significantly strengthens the intellectual property for BupiZenge in Europe", Pirkko Tamsen, CEO of OncoZenge comments. "It protects the use of BupiZenge in all relevant indications for treatment of pain in the oral cavity".

Globally, around 5 million people suffer from Oral mucositis ("OM") after cancer treatment. OM is an inflammation of the mucous membranes in the mouth and throat, which results in painful ulcers. OM is considered the most debilitating side effect of radiation therapy and chemotherapy and commonly occurs. After radiation therapy in the head and neck region, 90 percent of patients develop OM, and of the patients who are treated with chemotherapy around 30 percent are affected. OM causes severe pain, difficulty to swallow and talk, and can lead to interruptions in cancer treatment as well as increased health care costs.

The BupiZenge technology encompasses novel lozenge formulations of bupivacaine, a local anesthetic with a well-established long acting effect, currently available on the market for other indications as an injectable. In a previous phase 2 study on cancer patients, BupiZenge has demonstrated statistically significant pain relief in the oral cavity and throat; the pain level in the mouth was reduced by 50 percent. compared to the current treatment.

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