US Patent Issued to Martin Pharmaceuticals on April 8 for "Methods of treating ascites" (Virginia, New York Inventors)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 9 -- United States Patent no. 12,268,661, issued on April 8, was assigned to Martin Pharmaceuticals Inc. (New York).

"Methods of treating ascites" was invented by Thomas W MacAllister (Arlington, Va.) and Sven M. Jacobson (New York).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The invention relates to the treatment of ascites, and especially refractory ascites, with an orally bioavailable prodrug of dopamine. A preferred prodrug of dopamine is docarpamine. In one embodiment treated patients are, prior to treatment, on doses of furosemide less than80 mg/day and/or spironolactone less than100 mg/day or equivalent doses of an alternative loop-acting and/or distal-acting diuretic. The asc...