Title:Pemetrexed – First-Line Therapy for Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Review of Patent Literature
Volume: 16
Issue: 3
Author(s): Pratik Ashwinbhai Vora*, Rakesh Patel and Abhay Dharamsi
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Parul University, Vadodara,India
Keywords:
ALIMTA, anticancer, cancer therapy, composition, malignant pleural mesothelioma, oncology, patent, pemetrexed.
Abstract:
Background: Pemetrexed is a folate analogue metabolic inhibitor for mammalian cells.
Pemetrexed is toxic to several cancer cells by interfering with their new biosynthesis of nucleotides,
thus causing cell apoptosis. Presently, Pemetrexed is given to patients with Non-Small
Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).
Objective: This review focuses on the recent patents of Pemetrexed. This assessment includes patents
grouped in segments like crystalline form patent, composition related patents, product patents,
as well as a method of treatment. The aim of this review is to simplify inventors with existing
patents in a single place.
Methods: Data were searched from several available databases, including paid databases which include
Orbit® and SciFinder®. Free databases include Worldwide Espacenet® (EPO), Patentscope®
(WIPO), InPASS (Indian patent database) and Google Patents.
Results: Some new polymorph and composition-related inventions of Pemetrexed have been recently
patented as its orange-book listed patents will soon expire in May 2022. Further, because of the
problem of oxidation through the development and continuing storage of Pemetrexed composition,
several excipients are experimented with within these patents to stabilize the same. Nevertheless,
there is a need for further development of an improved composition of Pemetrexed with improved
characteristics.
Conclusion: Wide research has been conducted on different processes for preparing Pemetrexed
and formulation thereof. Such type of active research may clear the track for the generic companies
in the United States, producing the formulation at low prices and providing universal health care at
economical prices.
