Azura Ophthalmics Expands Broad Intellectual Property Portfolio to 12 US and European Patents

Azura Ophthalmics announced the company’s US 11,459,351 patent (the ‘351 patent) was granted by the US Patent and Trademark Office. This patent strengthens the company’s extensive portfolio protecting its use of dual-action keratolytic drug conjugates in development for the treatment of ocular diseases associated with the eye lid margin and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).

“The expansion of Azura’s IP portfolio to 12 US and European patents, and at least 104 patents and patent applications worldwide, validates our novel approach to harness and develop first-in-class treatments that have the potential to completely change the treatment and outcomes of lid margin and ocular surface diseases,” said Marc Gleeson, CEO of Azura Ophthalmics. “By targeting the underlying cause of these conditions, we believe our pipeline of dual-action keratolytic drug conjugates has the potential to improve the signs, symptoms, and burden of numerous eye conditions being inadequately managed today. Our lead keratolytic, AZR-MD-001, is being investigated for the treatment of MGD in a Phase 2b trial and we look forward to sharing initial results from the study this quarter.”
 
Azura’s extensive IP portfolio protects various drug conjugates, including azithromycin-keratolytic dual drug conjugates protected in the ’351 patent; lifitegrast-keratolytic dual drug conjugates protected by previously granted US Patent 10,875,845; as well as other disease modulating agents conjugated with keratolytic agents. This class of conjugated drugs has the potential to expand the treatment options for patients who experience mixed disease mechanisms, including anterior surface Inflammation and meibomian gland hyperkeratosis, which affect their ocular surface.