CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 8, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Diffusion Pharmaceuticals LLC, a clinical-stage drug-development company commercializing drugs utilizing a novel method of action that enhances oxygen diffusion, today announced that it has been granted U.S. patent no. 7,351,844 entitled "Bipolar Trans Carotenoid Salts and Their Uses." This patent includes claims to a family of first-in-class new chemical entities, known as trans biopolar carotenoid (or TBC) molecules. In addition, the Company also announced it has been granted corresponding patents from the South African and the New Zealand Patent Offices.
"The issuance of these patents is a vital step in our intellectual property development strategy, furthering our goal of bringing Diffusion Pharmaceutical's first-in-class therapeutics to market. Our highly unique compounds may one day treat patients with a broad range of disorders involving hypoxia," said David G. Kalergis, Diffusion's CEO.
In addition to these newly issued patents, the Company has also filed other U.S. patent applications and numerous corresponding foreign and national-stage applications in major international markets.
About Diffusion Pharmaceuticals LLC
Diffusion Pharmaceuticals LLC is a clinical-stage drug-development company commercializing a family of first-in-class drug candidates to treat serious or life-threatening medical conditions. These proprietary small molecules use a novel method of action to enhance oxygen diffusion to oxygen deprived (hypoxic) tissue. Potential clinical applications include cancer, critical care uses such as trauma, hemorrhage, stroke and heart attack, as well as chronic conditions such as peripheral arterial and vascular disease, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disorders. Enhanced diffusion of oxygen into hypoxic tissue has an important application in oncology by improving the efficacy of radiation therapy in cancerous tumors. A Phase 1 study for its lead molecule, trans sodium crocetinate (TSC), in healthy subjects was successfully completed in 2007. The company is now initiating proof-of-concept and dose-finding studies in cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy and in peripheral arterial disease patients suffering from intermittent claudication. Diffusion Pharmaceuticals, which is privately held, is located in Charlottesville, Virginia. For more information, visit www.diffusionpharma.com.
SOURCE Diffusion Pharmaceuticals LLC
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