This is what I've learnt from the website, I'm still not 100% sure I'm looking at the right thing because I have no idea how drug patents work, for example could NICE do their own version, but here's what I've gleaned.
1. The patent was issued on 11th Nov 1997 and will
expire 8th November 2015. The patent was applied for in August 1995 and they were awarded a 20year patent.
2. The patent is listed as
"US Patent 5686417 - Peptide T and related peptides in the treatment of HTLV-1 myelopathy and multiple sclerosis"
3. It is patented abroad and internationally.
4. This is what it claims to do in MS and HTLV-1
1. A method for alleviating neurological, cognitive or motor symptoms of myelopathy associated with multiple sclerosis or HTLV-1 in humans, comprising the parenteral administration on a daily basis of a composition comprising:
i) a peptide in an amount effective to alleviate neurological, cognitive or motor symptoms
of myelopathy associated with multiple sclerosis or HTLV-1, said peptide having the formula:
D-Ala-Ser-Thr-Thr-Thr-Asn-Tyr-Thr-amide (SEQ ID NO:1);
ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for the parenteral administration of said peptide.
2. A method of claim 1 for alleviating symptoms of myelopathy associated with multiple sclerosis.
3. A method of claim 1 for alleviating symptoms of HTLV-1 associated myelopathy.
4. A method for alleviating neurological, cognitive or motor symptoms of myelopathy associated with multiple sclerosis or HTLV-1 in humans, comprising the intranasal administration on a daily basis of a composition comprising:
i) a peptide in an amount effective to alleviate neurological, cognitive or motor symptoms of myelopathy associated with multiple sclerosis or HTLV-1, said peptide having the formula:
D-Ala-Ser-Thr-Thr-Thr-Asn-Tyr-Thr-amide (SEQ ID NO:1);
ii) a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for the intranasal administration of said peptide
It looks like we've got just short of six years before generics but if they were mass producing this for XMRV+ves then the price would come down.
I've bolded the mention of myelopathy, especially due to what the M in ME stands for. I feel I still know to little about medical science to give an informed opinion but whether myelopathy is XMRV related or not, this may have the potential to tackle neurological symptoms and inflammation of the spinal cord.