Melbourne, Jan 8, 2008 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Australian Biotech Solagran Limited (ASX: SLA) today announced it had been awarded the world's first patents protecting the use of plant polyprenols in the treatment of conditions involving physical, psychological and neurological degeneration.
Two patents were awarded. The first relates to the use of Solagran's drug Ropren and its active ingredient Bioeffective(r) R in the treatment of memory decline and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. The second relates to the use of Ropren in the treatment of conditions arising from long term addiction to both alcohol and drugs. These conditions involve major changes to personality, as well as severe degeneration of the body, the brain and the nervous system.
Both patents are comprehensive in nature. They cover the active ingredient, the therapeutic substance based on the active ingredient, its pharmaceutical composition, and the method of treatment. They were awarded by the Russian Agency for Patents and Trademarks and provide excellent intellectual property protection with a priority date of 23 May 2007.
Under the international Patent Convention Treaty (PCT), Solagran can now obtain patent protection in whatever countries it considers it necessary to protect this intellectual property.
According to Solagran Executive Chairman Dr Vagif Soultanov, securing these two patents provides clear confirmation of the multi-faceted nature of Ropren. "Ropren is not only effective in treating chronic liver disease - the condition for which it is registered as a pharmaceutical in Russia. It is also effective in treating neurodegeneration and addiction" he said.
The patent for the treatment of memory decline and dementia has arisen as a result of the findings of research and trials undertaken in St Petersburg at the I.M. Sechanov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and at the Skvortsova Stepanova Psychiatric Hospital, as well as in Melbourne at the Brain Sciences Institute within Swinburne University.
The patent for the treatment of conditions associated with chronic alcoholism and drug addiction has stemmed from the results of trials with critical and seriously ill heroin addicted chronic alcoholics conducted at the Skvortsova Stepanova Psychiatric Hospital.
According to Solagran, the worldwide commercial potential of an effective treatment for both these conditions is subsantial. Although further specific trials are planned in Russia, the fact that Ropren has already been entered in the Russian Pharmacopoeia means that it can be used for these conditions at the discretion of the treating clinician as soon as it is available commercially. Dr Nina Petrovna Golovkina of the Skvortsova Stepanova Psychiatric Hospital has already indicated that her hospital would be using Ropren to treat alcoholics, drug addicts and patients with neurodegenerative disorders once it was available.
Ropren was registered as a new and low side effect pharmaceutical to treat chronic liver disease (hepatitis and cirrhosis) by the Russian Ministry of Health in July last year. Since then, Solagran has been working with its Russian associate SibEX to build a production facility capable of meeting the first wave of demand.
Contact
Denis Kilroy
Executive Director
Solagran Limited
Email: Denis.Kilroy@solagran.com
Phone: +61 3 9820 2699
Fax: +61 3 9820 3155
Mobile:+61 411 222 844
Web: www.solagran.com
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