Solvonis Therapeutics plc (LSE: SVNS), a London-listed clinical-stage biotechnology company developing psychedelic therapeutics for addiction, PTSD and depression, has announced that the US Patent and Trademark Office has allowed its method-of-use patent application covering the treatment of all behavioural addictions with ketamine at dissociative doses of at least 50 mg. The allowed claims span conditions including binge eating, gambling, gaming and compulsive sexual behaviour disorders, and cover racemic ketamine, esketamine and arketamine by any route, with or without psychotherapy. The company describes the allowance as a major milestone, citing a published expert estimate that behavioural addictions affect over 48 million Americans, and says the broad patent position creates scope for multiple potential partnerships and licensing deals.

Key Points

  • Solvonis Therapeutics plc (LSE: SVNS) — clinical-stage biotechnology company headquartered in London
  • USPTO has allowed a method-of-use patent covering ketamine treatment of all behavioural addictions at dissociative doses of at least 50 mg
  • Patent grant expected in Q1 2027, subject to final formalities, with an expected patent term to May 2042
  • Investors may watch for partnering announcements, non-dilutive funding, and progress in the Phase 3 SVN-001 alcohol trial

USPTO Allowance Covers Binge Eating and Gambling as First Commercial Priorities for Ketamine

The allowed claims establish a broad US patent position with an expected term running to May 2042, following the original international application filed in May 2022 by Awakn Life Sciences, now part of Solvonis. The company has identified binge eating disorder and gambling disorder as its first commercial priorities. US research cited in the announcement estimated that 1.2% of adults are affected by binge eating disorder annually and 2.8% across their lifetime, with lisdexamfetamine the only FDA-approved medicine for the condition. For gambling disorder, approximately 9 million Americans experience problem gambling, including around 2.5 million adults with severe problems, and there is currently no FDA-approved medicine for that indication.

Broad Claims Complement SVN-002 Esketamine Oral Thin Film and Global Addiction Pipeline

The patent allowance extends beyond binge eating and gambling to cover gaming disorder and compulsive sexual behaviour disorder, among other conditions. The announcement states the claims complement Solvonis' global exclusive rights to SVN-002, its esketamine oral thin film, which is in Phase 2b planning for moderate-to-severe alcohol use disorder in the US under an FDA-agreed 505(b)(2) pathway. SVN-001, a ketamine-based treatment for severe alcohol use disorder, is in Phase 3 in the UK, co-funded by Solvonis, the NIHR and the MRC, with Portuguese sites under assessment for proposed European expansion. SVN-015, a proprietary compound for cocaine and methamphetamine addiction, is funded and conducted in further preclinical studies by NIDA, with Solvonis retaining ownership.

Otsuka's Acquisition of Transcend Cited as Commercial Precedent for Method-of-Use Patent Strategy

The announcement references the June 2026 acquisition of Transcend by Otsuka for US$700 million upfront plus up to US$525 million in sales-related payments as a commercial precedent. Transcend had developed methylone, a previously known compound, for PTSD, supported by a granted US method-of-use patent. The announcement explicitly states this is a commercial precedent and not a direct valuation comparison with Solvonis. The company states it is pursuing a similar strategy: protecting new treatment uses with intellectual property, building clinical evidence, and pursuing partnering and out-licensing opportunities.

All Solvonis Programmes Remain Investigational Pending Regulatory Approval

Solvonis cautions that all programmes described in the announcement are investigational and that safety and efficacy for the proposed indications have not been established. None has received regulatory approval for those indications, and the company explicitly notes that patent allowance does not constitute regulatory approval. The company's CEO, Anthony Tennyson, stated in the announcement that the company intends to pursue non-dilutive funding and partners to build clinical evidence and long-term shareholder value. Investors may monitor whether formal partnership discussions materialise following the expected Q1 2027 patent grant.