Ensysce Biosciences Secures Extended Patent Protection for MPAR Overdose Prevention Technology Through 2042
Key Insights
Ensysce Biosciences received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a new patent covering its MPAR (search) (Multi-Pill Abuse Resistance) technology, extending protection through 2042.
The MPAR (search) technology, which earned FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation in January 2025, demonstrated effective pain relief when taken as prescribed while preventing excessive opioid delivery during overdose attempts in clinical testing.
The company is expanding MPAR (search) technology beyond opioids to include amphetamines and methadone for developing safer treatments for pain, ADHD, and opioid use disorder.
Ensysce Biosciences has strengthened its intellectual property portfolio with a new U.S. patent covering its groundbreaking MPAR (search) (Multi-Pill Abuse Resistance) technology, extending protection through 2042. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued a Notice of Allowance for the patent titled "Compositions Comprising Enzyme-Cleavable Prodrugs and Controlled Release Nafamostat and Methods of Use Thereof," which includes both composition-of-matter and method-of-use claims for the company's unique overdose protection platform.
FDA Recognition and Clinical Performance
The MPAR (search) technology achieved a significant regulatory milestone in January 2025 when it earned Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This designation recognizes the technology's potential to address substantial unmet medical needs in overdose prevention.
Clinical testing of PF614-MPAR has demonstrated the technology's dual functionality, providing effective pain relief when taken as prescribed while preventing excessive opioid delivery when multiple doses are administered. This mechanism is designed to limit the effects of opioid exposure in the event of an overdose, addressing a critical safety concern in pain management.
Expanding Applications Beyond Opioids
Ensysce is extending its MPAR (search) technology beyond traditional opioid applications to include amphetamines and methadone. This expansion aims to develop safer treatments across multiple therapeutic areas, including pain management, ADHD treatment, and opioid use disorder therapy.
"This new patent represents another important milestone in our mission to make vital and proven medicines safer," said Dr. Lynn Kirkpatrick, Chief Executive Officer of Ensysce. "MPAR (search) overdose protection, in combination with our TAAP (search) abuse-deterrent platform, delivers a dual safety approach which we believe is unlike anything else in the field."
Dual Platform Technology
The company's approach combines MPAR (search) technology with its Trypsin-Activated Abuse Protection (TAAP (search)) platform to create comprehensive safety measures. This dual platform strategy is designed to minimize both drug abuse and overdose risks, potentially providing safer options for patients suffering from severe pain while helping prevent deaths caused by medication abuse.
Ongoing Development and Support
Ensysce's research has received support and funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number DA047682. The company has demonstrated clinically that MPAR (search) moderates opioid release when taken in excess, with a second clinical trial currently ongoing to further evaluate the technology's potential.
Dr. Kirkpatrick expressed gratitude for the federal support, stating, "We are grateful for support and funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse that has allowed us to demonstrate clinically that MPAR (search) moderates opioid release when taken in excess. The second clinical trial to further evaluate the potential of this technology is ongoing."
The company is working to advance both PF614 and PF614-MPAR through late clinical development with the goal of reducing opioid abuse and overdose. As a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, Ensysce is focused on pioneering next-generation pain and central nervous system therapeutics designed to minimize abuse and overdose risk.