SK biopharmaceuticals said the U.S. patent protection for its epilepsy drug Xcopri (ingredient: cenobamate) has been extended for five years until October 30, 2032.

Xcopri acquired a substance patent in Oct. 2007 and received new drug approval in the U.S. in Nov. 2019, with the drug officially being launched in May 2020.

According to the company, while the original substance patent period was set to expire in Oct. 2027, the U.S. FDA and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office gave the extension after recognizing the lengthy time taken to develop and obtain approval for Xcopri.

"I am pleased to announce that Xcopri's patent has been extended by five years," SK biopharmaceuticals CEO Lee Dong-hoon said. "This means that we have secured long-term rapid growth until Oct. 2032, given the current accelerating sales growth of Xcopri."

Based on the strong cash generation from the drug, the company will grow into a big biotech company expanding into innovative technology platforms, Lee added.