Arachnova granted Japanese painkiller patents

Privately-held UK drugmaker Arachnova says that the Japanese Patent Office and State Intellectual Property Office of China have granted patents covering the use of its drug candidate MCI-225/AA10021 for the treatment of pain, including of the nociceptive and neuropathic varieties.

Arachnova licensed data relating to this compound from Mitsubishi Pharma Corp in February 2004 and has patented new therapeutic uses for it. The data include toxicological and other non-clinical information, which underpinned a 350-patient program.

The UK firm, which specializes in repositioning drug candidates to new indiciations says that Mitsubishi partially developed the noradrenaline and serotonin reuptake blocker to Phase II in depression but no further.