Another Oxytocin Patent

The race is on to set patent claims on oxytocin therapies.

The latest is a patent application filed by Steven Quay of Nastech on using oxytocin to treat the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, as well as similar maladies.

According to the application, oxytocin is effective in reducing social withdrawal, eye contact avoidance, repetitive  behaviors, anxiety, attention deficit, hyperactivity, depression, loss of  speech, verbal communication difficulties, aversion to touch, visual difficulties, comprehension difficulties, and sound and light  sensitivity.

Nastech, which assigned the patent to Atossa Healthcare, a related company, has another application in the works for a long-acting oxytocin nasal spray. (See the "Oxytocin Therapies" category for more.)