MediciNova, Inc. announced 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 macular injury associated with progressive multiple sclerosis. Once issued, the patent maturing from this allowed patent application is expected to expire no earlier than October 2039. The allowed claims cover the use of MN-166 (ibudilast) in a method of treating an ophthalmic disease/disorder or injury associated with a neurodegenerative disease/disorder, wherein the ophthalmic disease/disorder or injury is macular injury and wherein the neurodegenerative disease/disorder is progressive multiple sclerosis.

The allowed claims cover the use of MN-166 (ibudilast) wherein the method is for decreasing macular volume loss associated with progressive multiple sclerosis including primary progressive multiple sclerosis and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. The allowed claims cover oral administration including tablets, capsules, granules, microbead dosage forms, and liquid dosage forms. The allowed claims cover a wide range of doses of MN-166 (ibudilast) and a range of different dosing frequencies.