其中,治療多發性硬化症的藥物使用量之顯而易見性更鮮有人探討,因此,本文藉由Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. v. Roxane Laboratories, Inc. (Fed. Cir. 2018)案件[1]來探討多發性硬化症治療藥物使用量的顯而易見性。
圖片來源 : shutterstock、達志影像
案件背景
本案被告Roxane學名藥廠因為向食品藥物管理局 (FDA) 提出了Ampyra® (成分為4-氨基吡啶,4-aminopyridine) 的學名藥許可之簡易新藥上市程序 (ANDA),原告阿索爾達製藥公司 (Acorda Therapeutics, Inc.) 於是向美國德拉瓦州 (the District of Delaware) 的地方法院提出專利侵權訴訟,主張被告Roxane學名藥廠侵害了系爭專利的申請專利範圍,Roxane學名藥廠則主張原告阿索爾達製藥公司的專利顯而易見,地方法院經過判決後認定系爭專利因為顯而易見而無效,被告Roxane學名藥廠不侵害系爭專利。原告阿索爾達製藥公司不服地方法院的判決,所以提出上訴。
6. A dosing regimen method for providing a 4-aminopyridine at a therapeutically effective concentration in order to improve walking in a human with multiple sclerosis in need thereof, said method comprising: initiating administration of 4-aminopyridine by orally administering to said human a sustained release composition of 10 milligrams of 4-aminopyridine twice daily for a day without a prior period of 4-aminopyridine titration, and then, maintaining administration of 4-aminopyridine by orally administering to said human a sustained release composition of 10 milligrams of 4-aminopyridine twice daily; without a subsequent period of 4-aminopyridine titration, whereby an in vivo C.sub.maxSS:C.sub.minSS ratio of 1.0 to 3.5 and a C.sub.avSS of 15 ng/ml to 35 ng/ml are maintained in the human.
7. The method of claim 6, whereby an increase in walking speed is obtained in said human.
'437專利申請專利範圍第22項與其申請專利範圍第18項及第1項有關,故一併列出如下
1. A method of increasing walking speed in a human multiple sclerosis patient in need thereof comprising orally administering to said patient a sustained release composition of 10 milligrams of 4-aminopyridine twice daily for a time period of at least two weeks, wherein said 10 milligrams of 4-aminopyridine twice daily are the only doses of 4-aminopyridine administered to said patient during said time period.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein said sustained release composition is a tablet.
22. The method of claim 18 wherein said tablet exhibits a release profile to obtain a C.sub.avSS of about 15 ng/ml to about 35 ng/ml.