MENLO PARK, Calif., Feb. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated today announced that the European Patent Office (EPO) has allowed the Company’s patent covering the use of GR-II antagonists to treat the psychotic features of Psychotic Major Depression (PMD). This patent is exclusively licensed to the Company by Stanford University.
“We are delighted with the allowance of our European patent,” said Joseph K. Belanoff, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Corcept, “especially considering that in 2004 Akzo Nobel filed an observation with the EPO challenging the claims of our patent application. In 2005 we submitted a rebuttal to the EPO responding to the points raised by Akzo. The fact that this patent has been allowed with its broadest claims intact is very gratifying.”
About Psychotic Major Depression
PMD is a serious psychiatric disorder that affects approximately three million people annually in the United States. It is more prevalent than either schizophrenia or manic depressive illness. The disorder is characterized by severe depression accompanied by delusions, hallucinations or both. People with PMD are approximately 70 times more likely to commit suicide than the general population and often require lengthy and expensive hospital stays. There is no FDA-approved treatment for PMD.
About Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated
Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated is a pharmaceutical company engaged in the development of drugs for the treatment of severe psychiatric and neurological diseases. Corcept’s lead product, CORLUX(R), is currently in Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of the psychotic features of psychotic major depression. The drug is administered orally to PMD patients once per day for seven days. CORLUX, a potent GR-II antagonist, appears to mitigate the effects of the elevated and abnormal release patterns of cortisol seen in PMD. For additional information about the company, please visit www.corcept.com.
Statements made in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that might cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. For example, there can be no assurances with respect to the ability to obtain and maintain adequate patent protection for our business. These and other risk factors are set forth in the Company’s SEC filings, all of which are available from our website (www.corcept.com) or from the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov). We disclaim any intention or duty to update any forward-looking statement made in this news release.
Corcept Therapeutics Incorporated
CONTACT: Fred Kurland, Chief Financial Officer of Corcept Therapeutics,+1-650-327-3270, or IR@corcept.com
Web site: http://www.corcept.com/
