Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ( SUPN ) is facing yet another patent challenge for its epilepsy treatment, Oxtellar XR. This time round, the company has received a Paragraph IV notice from TWi Pharmaceuticals, Inc. which is looking to get its generic version of Supernus' Oxtellar XR capsules approved in the U.S. Oxtellar XR was launched in Feb 2013 for the treatment of epilepsy. The drug is protected by four patents listed in the FDA's Orange Book, all of which are slated to expire on Apr 13, 2027. We remind investors that Actavis ( ACT ) is also looking to bring its generic version of Oxtellar XR to market. Supernus has filed patent infringement lawsuits against Actavis. Supernus is currently reviewing the details of the Para IV notice from TWi Pharma. The company will most likely file a patent infringement lawsuit against TWi Pharma. We note that Oxtellar XR is not the only product in Supernus' portfolio to face a patent challenge. Supernus is occupied with a number of patent infringement lawsuits related to its other antiepileptic drug, Trokendi XR. Earlier this week, Supernus received a Para IV notice from Par Pharmaceutical, Inc., informing the company about the submission of an abbreviated … Continue reading →

December 11, 2014, 12:14 PM Last updated: Thursday, December 11, 2014, 12:15 PM Taxpayers would be allowed to donate to autism research by checking a box on their state tax returns and families would be have access to more information about programs and treatment options, under bills approved by an Assembly committee today. Both bills cleared the Assembly Women and Children committee and head to the full Assembly for a vote. The tax donation measure would create an autism research fund with the money ultimately being distributed by the state Department of Health. New Jersey has one of the best systems in the country for identifying, diagnosing and caring for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. It also has the highest autism rate in the nation its hard to find someone in New Jersey who doesnt have a family member, friend, or neighbor who faces the challenges of autism, bill sponsor Assemblyman Jay Webber, R-Morris, said in a statement. Allowing taxpayers to make voluntary contributions through their income tax returns to help combat this terrible problem is an easy and convenient way to help fund the states many exemplary autism programs. The other measure would create a New Jersey Autism Website … Continue reading →

December 11, 2014 Image Credit: Autism Speaks Chuck Bednar for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online Google and Autism Speaks are joining forces to sequence the genomes of 10,000 people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and store the information in the cloud so that it could be easily accessed by researchers. The groundbreaking initiative known as MSSNG was launched with the intention of creating the worlds largest database of sequenced genomic information on people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their family members, the advocacy group explained in a statement Tuesday. MSSNG (pronounced missing) deliberately omits vowels in order to represent the missing pieces of the autism puzzle. It is symbolic of the missing information about autism that the project is designed to find, Autism Speaks said. The organization hailing the program as a significant milestone in advancing genomic research of autism that could lead to breakthroughs into the causes, subtypes and better diagnosis and treatment for the disorder. According to Washington Post reporter Jim Tankersley, an estimated one of every 68 children has ASD, and scientists have only recently started figuring out the genetic and environmental factors responsible for the disorder. Much of that progress is the result of analysis of … Continue reading →

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 11-Dec-2014 Contact: John Worthington John.Worthington@sswahs.nsw.gov.au 61-419-293-985 University of New South Wales @UNSWnews Stroke is Australia's second biggest killer after coronary heart disease, but rates of a common type of stroke, intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH), appear to be falling, according to a UNSW study that is the largest of its kind in Australia. ICH accounts for about 15% of all strokes. Close to 40% of patients will die within 30 days and significant disability is common in survivors. The improvement in the incidence of ICH may be the result of the widespread implementation of proven prevention and treatment programs, the researchers say. The large retrospective, observational study of NSW hospital admissions and registered deaths data found that fatal ICH had declined by an average of 2.6% per year over eight years. ICH incidence overall declined by an average of 1.6% per year. The study involved data from 11,322 ICH patients admitted to hospital in NSW between 2001 and 2009, linked to death registrations to July 2010. The inclusion of such a large number of identified ICH cases from within a clearly defined geographical area is one of the study's strengths. Declining ICH rates suggest better recognition and management of … Continue reading →