04/01/2024
N-Zyme is pleased to announce that its co-founders, Dr. Nikki Johnston and Franco Vigile, filed a patent on March 27th, 2024, for ‘Methods and compositions for treatment of peptic ulcers and/or peptic ulcer disease’ (Provisional application # 63/569,875). This patent filing encompasses the new use of fosamprenavir in novel formulations for the treatment of peptic ulcer disease. Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a common disorder of the digestive system, mainly occurring in the stomach, but also in the proximal duodenum and esophagus. The most common etiologies of PUD are Helicobacter pylori infection and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Life-threatening complications include bleeding, perforation, pe*******on into adjacent organs and gastrointestinal obstruction. The estimated lifetime prevalence in Western countries is 5–10% and annual incidence 0.1–0.3%. The annual direct medical costs of PUD in the US are estimated at $3.1-4.28 billion. Interest in pepsin inhibitors for treatment of PUD dates to the 1940s. Despite promising preclinical data, pepstatin (a potent inhibitor of pepsin activity) was ineffective in clinical trials due to poor water solubility and pharmacokinetics. Fosamprenavir and alginate-complexed formulations overcome these challenges to clinical treatment, targeting pepsin activity implicated in the pathogenesis of PUD, representing a compelling new treatment for PUD.
This represents N-Zyme’s third patent and the company’s commitment to building a strong IP portfolio around novel reflux and gastrointestinal-related therapies.
