Irish biopharma Amarin Corp. PLC, whose research base is Stonington, has been formally issued its two patents for its synthetic omega-3 Vascepa heart drug amid a published report that it is in the buyout cross-hairs of drug maker AstraZeneca and other global drug giants.
Amarin announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued two patents covering the use of Amarin’s Vascepa (icosapent ethyl) capsules.
Amarin disclosed in early September that its patent applications had been reviewed and accepted.
The newly issued patents, U.S. Patent Numbers 8,793,727 and 8,293,728, have patent terms that each expire no earlier than in 2030.
Amarin says it plans to list both patents in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s official registry, known as the “Orange Book.’’
Meanwhile, Britain’s Daily Mail reports that while AstraZeneca is weighing an unspecified cash bid for Amarin, other major drug makers, including Pfizer, Merck and Eli Lilly, are circling.
