SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Orexigen(TM) Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: OREX), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of central nervous system disorders, including obesity, today announced that a Notice of Allowance has been electronically posted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a patent application covering sustained release (SR) compositions of bupropion and naltrexone combined in a single dosage form. These two drugs are the active constituents in Contrave™, Orexigen’s lead product candidate for the treatment of obesity, now in Phase III clinical trials. Referred to by the Company as the Weber/Cowley composition patent application, this patent would provide protection for Contrave into the year 2024. This development is an important milestone toward issuance of the patent by the USPTO. Issuance of this patent by the USPTO would extend the Company’s exclusive rights on this combination in the United States for an additional 11 years beyond its current patent protection.
