US Patent and Trademark Office Grants Patent to ADial Pharmaceuticals for Molecular Genetic Treatment of Alcohol and Drug Addictions

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA, January 10, 2017 — ADial Pharmaceuticals LLC, a developer of novel and effective gene-specific medications to treat addiction and related disorders, today announced that it has been granted a patent by the United States Patent and Trademark Office entitled “Molecular Genetic Approach to Treatment and Diagnosis of Alcohol and Drug Dependence.”

The patent addresses a method of diagnosing, treating, and monitoring alcohol or drug-related dependence. The methods include treating patients with an antagonist of the serotonin receptor 5-HT3 for such disorders, wherein the patient’s serotonin transporter gene SLC6A4, genes regulating the 5-HTR3A receptor, and/or genes regulating the 5-HT3B are known to have certain particular genotypes.

William Stilley, Chief Executive Officer of ADial Pharmaceuticals, commented, “We are very pleased with the scope of this patent in the United States as it provides us with broad intellectual property protection. Our proprietary medication, AD04, presents a significant market opportunity for ADial Pharmaceuticals, as we believe it may be more effective than alternative solutions to treat alcohol or drug-related dependencies. Importantly, AD04 does not require patient abstinence, a major reason other drugs have low compliance.  Based on the results of our Phase II trial, our treatment successfully reduced risk drinking among patients with the targeted genotypes.”