Lipella Pharmaceuticals Announces Patent Allowance for Innovative Liposomal Drug Delivery Platform


Lipella Pharmaceuticals Inc. recently announced the receipt of a notice of allowance from the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its proprietary liposomal drug delivery platform. The patent application, US Patent No. 17/829,960, titled Delivery of Agents Using Metastable Liposomes, covers key innovations in Lipella’s platform technology for delivering therapeutic agents via liposome-based vehicles.

The patent allows claims that cover Lipella’s method for using metastable liposomes to deliver a variety of therapeutic agents, including the company’s lead assets, LP-10 and LP-310. This breakthrough technology enables precise, targeted delivery, improving the safety and efficacy of treatments across multiple therapeutic areas, including oncology, cancer survivorship, and immunotherapy.

Dr. Michael Chancellor, Chief Medical Officer of Lipella Pharmaceuticals, said “The allowance of this patent is a significant milestone for Lipella as it strengthens our intellectual property portfolio and supports our ongoing efforts to advance therapies for conditions such as hemorrhagic cystitis and oral lichen planus. Our liposomal drug delivery system offers a safer and more effective means of administering therapeutics like tacrolimus by targeting disease sites directly and minimizing the systemic side effects typically associated with these treatments.”

This newly allowed patent provides broad intellectual property protection for Lipella’s drug delivery platform, which optimizes delivery to epithelial tissues such as those lining the mouth, bladder, colon, esophagus, vagina, and urethra. It extends market exclusivity and strengthens Lipella’s competitive position, particularly for its two lead clinical assets currently in Phase 2 trials. With additional patents covering the company’s formulations in the US, Australia, and Canada until 2035, Lipella is poised for further growth and development as it continues to advance its clinical pipeline.

About Lipella’s Lead Clinical Assets: LP-10 and LP-310

  • LP-10 is a liposomal formulation of tacrolimus designed for intravesical administration to treat hemorrhagic cystitis (HC), a rare but severe condition characterized by bleeding from the bladder. LP-10 has shown promising safety and efficacy results in a multicenter Phase 2a trial, where it improved urinary symptoms in patients. The FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation to LP-10 for the treatment of moderate to severe HC, further underscoring its potential to address this critical unmet need. A Phase 2b multicenter placebo-controlled trial is ready to begin.
  • LP-310 is an innovative oral rinse formulation of LP-10, designed to treat oral lichen planus (OLP), a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the mucous membranes of the mouth. LP-310 offers a promising new approach to treating OLP, which affects millions of Americans and currently lacks an approved pharmacotherapy. A Phase 2a multicenter trial is underway with anticipated top-line data by year-end and trial completion by mid-2025.

About Hemorrhagic Cystitis (HC)
Hemorrhagic cystitis is a serious condition often resulting from radiation therapy or chemotherapy, marked by severe bleeding in the bladder. With no FDA-approved drug treatments available, LP-10 is positioned to become a breakthrough therapy for patients suffering from this debilitating condition.

About Oral Lichen Planus (OLP)
Oral lichen planus is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and lesions in the oral mucosa. It can lead to significant discomfort, scarring, and increased risk of oral cancer. Despite affecting six to seven million people in the US, there are no approved treatments, and current therapies offer only symptomatic relief.

Lipella Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing new drugs by reformulating the active agents in existing generic drugs and optimizing these reformulations for new applications. Additionally, Lipella maintains a therapeutic focus on diseases with significant, unaddressed morbidity and mortality where no approved drug therapy currently exists. Lipella completed its initial public offering in December 2022. For more information, visit www.lipella.com.