GlaxoSmithKline might appeal a Seretide patent ruling

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is studying a court judgement on its inhaled respiration treatment Seretide to see if it can appeal it.

During patent litigation of the product, the commercial court in Dublin, Ireland, ruled in favour of the claims of Ivax Pharmaceuticals, which is now part of Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries.

Under Irish law, it was decided that GSK’s combination patent of Seretide ? relating to the mix of salmeterol and fluticasone propionate, which expires in 2012 ? was not valid.

The Diskus dry powder inhaler and HFA aerosol formulation patents, that end in 2011 and 2012 respectively, are also registered in Ireland and associated to the product in question.

Furthermore, GSK faces other technical hurdles in the development, manufacture and regulatory approval of inhaled respiratory medicines.

The company is now exploring the possibility of appealing the decision at a higher court.

Last week, the firm announced a collaboration with Chroma Therapeutics to develop macrophage-targeted compounds using the latter’s proprietary esterase-sensitive motif technology.

The hope is to create a product that can target specific cells in the inflammatory disease process.