(Raleigh, N.C.) Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SLXP) today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 7,718,608. This patent provides protection until August 2019 for rifaximin, which Salix markets in the United States under the trade names XIFAXAN® (200mg) and XIFAXAN550™ (550mg).

U.S. Patent No. 7,718,608 (the ‘608 patent) provides protection relating to a method of treating a subject suffering from irritable bowel syndrome. Salix has an exclusive license to this patent from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to make, have made, use, sell and have sold and import licensed products related to the use of rifaximin. Salix currently is assessing the use of rifaximin in the treatment of IBS.

“We are pleased to announce the issuance of additional intellectual property protection for rifaximin in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome,” commented Carolyn Logan, President and Chief Executive Officer. “The issuance of the ‘608 patent is yet another example of how we have strengthened the intellectual property protection for rifaximin over the past 18 months. We view patent protection as an essential component of our product life cycle management strategy to protect the indications in development as well as the products in our portfolio.”

Salix acquired rights to market rifaximin in North America from Alfa Wassermann S.p.A. in Bologna, Italy.

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, develops and markets prescription pharmaceutical products for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Salix’s strategy is to in-license late-stage or marketed proprietary therapeutic drugs, complete with any required development and regulatory submission of these products, and market them through the Company’s gastroenterology specialty sales and marketing team.