Capt. What would you have AMRN do with this info ? AMRN doesn't have any patents covering composition or method of action for treating migraines that I'm aware of . The trial was run using Epadel ...and it only enrolled 70 people using a drug not FDA regulated
EPA is a med that needs development ASAP, not only for the CVD indication, but also for several other indications...If Amarin is unable to perform this task, Amarin should be sold to a BP that has the necessary assets to do it.
So I'll answer my own question about lack of patent protect for the migraine indication...exclusivity is an option
Based on the search results, the key differences between patents and regulatory exclusivity for drugs are: Patents are granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and protect the intellectual property of the drug inventor, typically lasting 20 years from the filing date. Exclusivity is granted by the FDA upon drug approval and prevents competitors from submitting generic or similar versions for a specified period of time.
Patents can be obtained at any stage of drug development, while exclusivity only comes into play after the drug is approved by the FDA. Exclusivity periods are typically shorter than patent terms, ranging from 3-12 years depending on the type of exclusivity (e.g. new chemical entity, orphan drug, pediatric).
Patents can be challenged and invalidated, while exclusivity is more secure and guaranteed as long as the statutory requirements are met. Patents and exclusivity can run concurrently, but exclusivity often expires before the patent term ends. The expiration of the later of the two is what determines when generic competition can enter the market. In summary, patents and exclusivity serve complementary but distinct purposes in protecting drug products, with exclusivity providing an additional layer of protection beyond just the patent term. The interplay between the two is complex but critical for understanding the timing of generic drug entry.
So AMRN would need to design a pivotal trial that met FDA approval , then run it and if successful , apply for exclusivity . About as much chance of that happening as them running a small trial for 2-3 yrs on a R-IT subgroup without a placebo and with buy in from the German Health Dept. :--)