Intermune issued of two composition of matter patents for Actimmune.

InterMune, Inc. (Brisbane, CA) has been issued two composition of matter patents that together cover the manufacture, use and sale of Actimmune (interferon gamma-1b) in the United States. These patents, United States Ptents 6,936,694 and 6,936,695, expire in 2022 and extend a portfolio of intellectual property rights relating to Actimmune, which includes another composition of matter patent that expires in 2014.

"The issuance of these patents marks an important step in extending the proprietary position of Actimmune as we continue to make significant investments in the clinical development of Actimmune in our pivotal Phase III INSPIRE trial in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and our pivotal Phase III GRACES trial in ovarian cancer," stated Dan Welch, President and CEO of InterMune.

InterMune is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research, development and commercialization of innovative therapies in pulmonology and hepatology. In addition to three-times-a-week Infergen (interferon alfacon-1), a currently marketed product indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, InterMune has a broad and deep late-stage product portfolio addressing IPF and HCV infections, particularly nonresponders, or those patients who do not respond to first-line therapy. The pulmonology portfolio includes Actimmune and pirfenidone. Actimmune is being evaluated in the INSPIRE Trial, a Phase III study in patients with IPF. Pirfenidone is also being developed for the treatment of IPF. Leading the hepatology portfolio is the DIRECT Trial, a Phase III study of daily Infergen plus ribavirin, and a Phase IIb trial of daily Infergen plus Actimmune with and without ribavirin for the treatment of HCV patients who do not respond to first-line therapy. In addition, InterMune has an early stage small molecule program targeted at the HCV protease.

InterMune, Inc.

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www.intermune.com