Patents Assigned to Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGAA
  • Patent number: 11000467
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sterile in situ cross-linkable polysaccharide compositions for augmenting, filling or replacing soft tissues in various cosmetic and therapeutic applications. The composition comprises a first polysaccharide derivative functionalized with a nucleophilic group and a second polysaccharide derivative functionalized with an electrophilic group. Said nucleophilic and electrophilic functional groups spontaneously form in situ covalent linkages following co-injection in the body of a patient, resulting in the formation of a cross-linked hydrogel at the site of co-injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Andreas Krause
  • Publication number: 20210116440
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a polyclonal or monoclonal antibody specifically binding to BoNT/E-cleaved SNAP-25.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Applicant: MERZ PHARMA GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Cornelia BRUENN, Gerd MANDER
  • Patent number: 10921312
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for standardizing the sensitivity of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS)-derived neurons to a neurotoxin polypeptide, comprising the steps of: a) cultivating different batches of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons in a cell culture medium comprising GT1b for at least 3 hours; b) contacting the different batches of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons of step a) with a neurotoxin polypeptide; c) cultivating the different batches of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons of step b) for at least 24 hours in the presence of GT1b under conditions which allow for the neurotoxin polypeptide to exert its biological activity, thereby standardizing the sensitivity of the induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons to a neurotoxin polypeptide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: MERZ PHARMA GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventor: Karl-Heinz Eisele
  • Patent number: 10836840
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of hyaluronic acid-based gel compositions suitable for use as soft tissue fillers, and more specifically to a novel method for crosslinking such compositions. The present invention further relates to compositions prepared by the novel crosslinking method and their use in cosmetic and therapeutic applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Wolfgang Liebetrau, Franck Villain
  • Publication number: 20200354706
    Abstract: This invention relates to novel recombinant clostridial neurotoxins exhibiting an increased duration of effect and to methods for the manufacture of such recombinant clostridial neurotoxins. These novel recombinant clostridial neurotoxins comprise at least one domain wherein said domain comprises an amino acid sequence consisting of at least 50 amino acid residues, wherein said amino acid sequence consists of at least one proline and at least one alanine residue. The invention relates also to novel recombinant clostridial neurotoxins comprising at least one domain wherein said domain comprises an amino acid sequence consisting of at least 50 amino acid residues, wherein said domain comprises a plurality of specific amino acid repeats consisting of proline, alanine and tyrosine residues, or proline, alanine and glutamine residues, or proline, alanine and threonine residues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2017
    Publication date: November 12, 2020
    Applicant: MERZ PHARMA GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Jürgen FREVERT, Fred HOFMANN, Marcel JURK, Manuela LÓPEZ DE LA PAZ, Daniel SCHEPS
  • Patent number: 10792344
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for treating diseases and disorders by administering a composition containing the neurotoxic component of a Clostridium botulinum toxin complex, wherein the composition is devoid of any other protein of the Clostridium botulinum toxin complex and wherein the composition is administered at short intervals and/or in high doses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: MERZ PHARMA GmbH & CO. KGaA
    Inventors: Matthias Marx, Susanne Grafe, Reiner Benecke, Dirk Dressler
  • Patent number: 10725025
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for enhancing the specific uptake of a neurotoxin polypeptide into cells, the method comprising: incubating cells susceptible to neurotoxin intoxication with a neurotoxin polypeptide for a time and under conditions which allow for the neurotoxin polypeptide to exert its biological activity, the incubation comprising at least one of the following steps: (i) K+-mediated depolarization of the cells, (ii) a reduced neurotoxin polypeptide exposition time and/or (iii) agitation of the cells during neurotoxin polypeptide exposition, thereby enhancing the specific uptake of the neurotoxin polypeptide into said cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: MERZ PHARMA GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Claudia Jatzke, Karl-Heinz Eisele, Gerd Mander, Klaus Fink
  • Patent number: 10709772
    Abstract: This invention relates to improved uses of botulinum neurotoxins in the treatment of sialorrhea or diseases or conditions relating to increased saliva production. In particular are botulinum neurotoxins disclosed which are administered into parotid and submandibular glands in a dose ratio between 1.45 to 1 and 1.7 to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Janos Csikos, Irena Pulte, Michael Althaus, Markus Krüer, Nico Wegener
  • Patent number: 10640578
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a modified hyaluronic acid (HA) and to a method for making same, more specifically to a (poly)glycerol-modified HA derivative prepared by grafting glycidol to HA. The present invention also relates to the use of the HA derivative for preparing a dermal filler composition, a hydrogel comprising cross-linked HA and the (poly)glycerol-modified HA derivative, and a method for preparing said hydrogel. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of the hydrogel as a cosmetic and/or aesthetic product, in particular as a dermal filler for tissue filling, replacing and/or augmenting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Andreas Krause, Alexander Linko, Franck Villain
  • Publication number: 20200131494
    Abstract: This invention relates to novel recombinant botulinum neurotoxins serotype A exhibiting both (i) an increased duration of effect and (ii) a high specific biological activity. These novel recombinant botulinum neurotoxins comprise at least two additional domains consisting of proline, alanine and an additional amino acid residue and at least one amino acid modification which is located at the alpha-exosite or at the beta-exosite of the light chain of the neurotoxin. The invention further relates to novel recombinant single-chain precursor botulinum neurotoxins and compositions comprising the recombinant botulinum neurotoxin with an increased duration of effect and a high specific biological activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Applicant: MERZ PHARMA GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Jürgen FREVERT, Fred HOFMANN, Marcel JURK, Manuela LÓPEZ DE LA PAZ, Daniel SCHEPS
  • Patent number: 10634683
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for determining the biological activity of a neurotoxin, the method comprising the steps of: (a) expressing a fusion protein comprising (i) an anchor protein, (ii) a reporter protein and (iii) a neurotoxin cleavage site intervening the anchor protein and the reporter protein, in neurotoxin-sensitive cells; (b) incubating the neurotoxin-sensitive cells of (a) with a neurotoxin and cultivating the cells under conditions which allow the neurotoxin to exert its biological activity; (c) permeabilizing the neurotoxin-sensitive cells of (b) under conditions which allow the release of the reporter protein but not the release of the anchor protein from the permeabilized neurotoxin-sensitive cells; and (d) quantifying the activity of the reporter protein released from the cells, thereby determining the biological activity of the neurotoxin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: MERZ PHARMA GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventor: Karl-Heinz Eisele
  • Patent number: 10603353
    Abstract: This invention relates to novel recombinant clostridial neurotoxins exhibiting increased duration of effect and to methods for the manufacture of such recombinant clostridial neurotoxins. These novel recombinant clostridial neurotoxins comprise a random coil domain, and the methods comprise the steps of inserting a nucleic acid sequence coding for a random coil domain into a nucleic acid sequence coding for a parental clostridial neurotoxin and expression of the recombinant nucleic acid sequence comprising the random coil domain-coding sequence in a host cell. The invention further relates to novel recombinant single-chain precursor clostridial neurotoxins used in such methods, nucleic acid sequences encoding such recombinant single-chain precursor clostridial neurotoxins, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the recombinant clostridial neurotoxin with increased duration of effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Jürgen Frevert, Fred Hofmann, Michael Schmidt, Manuela López De La Paz, Daniel Scheps
  • Publication number: 20200048624
    Abstract: This invention relates to novel recombinant clostridial neurotoxins exhibiting an increased duration of effect without a delayed onset of effect and to methods for the manufacture of such recombinant clostridial neurotoxins. These novel recombinant clostridial neurotoxins comprise a domain consisting of proline, alanine, serine, threonine, glycine and glutamate residues, and the methods comprise the steps of inserting a nucleic acid sequence coding for said domain into a nucleic acid sequence coding for a parental clostridial neurotoxin and expression of the recombinant nucleic acid sequence comprising said domain-coding sequence in a host cell. The invention further relates to novel recombinant single-chain precursor clostridial neurotoxins used in such methods, nucleic acid sequences encoding such recombinant single-chain precursor clostridial neurotoxins, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the recombinant clostridial neurotoxin with an increased duration of effect without a delayed onset of effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: MERZ PHARMA GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Fred HOFMANN, Marcel JURK, Manuela LÓPEZ DE LA PAZ, Daniel SCHEPS, Jürgen FREVERT
  • Patent number: 10549042
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a prefilled glass container, such as a prefilled glass syringe, comprising an aqueous botulinum toxin formulation. The aqueous botulinum toxin formulation in the prefilled container is stable at low to ambient temperature for a prolonged time period. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a kit comprising the botulinum toxin prefilled container, and to the use of the botulinum toxin prefilled container in therapeutic and cosmetic applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Markus Vogt
  • Patent number: 10413491
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition for the in vivo degradation of polysaccharide-containing fillers by radical degradation. The composition of the invention comprising at least one source of oxygen free radicals and at least one catalyst of oxygen free radical generation from the at least one source of oxygen free radicals. The present invention further relates to methods and uses of said composition for filler correction or reversal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: MERZ PHARMA GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Lubin Belkovi, Franck Villain, Andreas Krause, Colin Drabe
  • Patent number: 10406290
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a prefilled plastic container, such as a plastic syringe, comprising an aqueous botulinum toxin formulation. The aqueous botulinum toxin formulation in the prefilled plastic container is stable for a prolonged time period. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a kit comprising the prefilled plastic container, and to the use of the prefilled plastic container for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Markus Vogt
  • Publication number: 20190269582
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to the field of hyaluronic acid (HA) dermal fillers, and more specifically to methods for preparing crosslinked HA-based compositions in the form of a gel comprising high-temperature dialysis and/or crosslinking in the presence of phosphate and an alkaline metal halide salt. The present invention further relates to crosslinked HA-based gel compositions prepared by said methods and their use as dermal fillers in aesthetic applications such as wrinkle treatments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Applicant: Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Nadine HAGEDORN, Roland STRAGIES, Lubin BELKOVI, Radia EL-BANNA
  • Patent number: 10335512
    Abstract: The present invention relates to injectable dermal filler compositions in the form of a gel, comprising hyaluronic acid (HA), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and, optionally, microparticles such as calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHAP) microparticles. The injectable dermal filler compositions have improved rheological properties while at the same time have low extrusion forces. The present invention further relates to a method for preparing such injectable dermal filler compositions and their use for cosmetic and therapeutic purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: MERZ PHARMA GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Nadine Hagedorn, Roland Stragies, Franck Villain, Lubin Belkovi, Radia El-Banna
  • Patent number: 10300168
    Abstract: The present invention relates to polysaccharide soft tissue fillers comprising heparosan and processes for their preparation. The polysaccharide soft tissue fillers of the present invention are advantageously used in therapeutic or cosmetic applications such as for the filling of wrinkles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: MERZ PHARMA GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Alexander Linko, Andreas Krause, Franck Villain
  • Publication number: 20180326375
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of making a composition, the composition comprising a cross-linked polymer and water, comprising at least the following steps: a) providing a first mixture, comprising at least one polymer and an aqueous alkaline solution; b) generating a gel by cross-linking the at least one polymer with a cross-linking agent; c) neutralizing the generated gel by using a neutralization solution; d) optionally adding a second mixture, comprising a cross-linked and/or non-cross-linked polymer and water, to the neutralized gel obtained in step c); e) dialyzing the gel obtained in step d) or dialyzing the gel obtained in step c) and optionally subsequent addition of the second mixture, comprising a cross-linked and/or non-cross-linked polymer and water; and f) filling the dialyzed gel obtained in step e) into a container, wherein at least two or three or four or five or all of steps a) to f) are automated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Applicant: Merz Pharma GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Josef FRIEDRICH