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MediciNova Receives a Notice of Intention to Grant for a New Patent Covering MN-166 (ibudilast) for the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder in Europe

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LA JOLLA, Calif., Jan. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MediciNova, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company traded on the NASDAQ Global Market (NASDAQ:MNOV) and the JASDAQ Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (Code Number: 4875), today announced that it has received a Notice of Intention to Grant from the European Patent Office for a pending patent application which covers MN-166 (ibudilast) for the treatment of alcohol use disorder.

Once issued, the patent maturing from this allowed patent application is expected to expire no earlier than May 2037. The allowed claims cover a method of treating a patient diagnosed with alcohol use disorder in which the patient also exhibits symptoms of depression with MN-166 (ibudilast). The allowed claims cover a wide range of dosage strengths and dosing regimens of MN-166 (ibudilast). The allowed claims also cover combination therapies of MN-166 (ibudilast) and one or more other therapeutic agents.

Kazuko Matsuda, MD, PhD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer of MediciNova, Inc., commented, "We are very pleased to receive notice that this new patent will be granted. We believe it could substantially increase the potential value of MN-166 as it further strengthens our patent portfolio for drug addiction and drug dependence. We previously reported positive data from two different clinical trials of MN-166 in alcohol use disorder including a 45% reduction (p=0.04) in the odds of heavy drinking and a reduction in alcohol craving (p<0.05). A third NIH-funded clinical trial of MN-166 in alcohol use disorder is currently ongoing in collaboration with UCLA.”

About Alcohol Use Disorder

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a prevalent and disabling psychiatric disorder with limited treatment options. AUD is a chronic relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive alcohol use, loss of control over alcohol intake, and a negative emotional state when not using alcohol. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), an estimated 14.5 million people in the U.S. have AUD and less than 10% receive treatment for the disease. There is a high unmet medical need for better treatments for AUD.

About MN-166

MN-166 (ibudilast) is a small molecule compound that inhibits phosphodiesterase type-4 (PDE4) and inflammatory cytokines, including macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). It is in late-stage clinical development for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), progressive MS (multiple sclerosis), and DCM (degenerative cervical myelopathy); and for glioblastoma, CIPN (chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy), and substance use disorder. In addition, MN-166 (ibudilast) is being evaluated in patients that are at risk for developing ARDS.