Salix granted three patents for Xifaxan

RALEIGH, N.C. — The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Salix Pharmaceuticals three patents related to a drug used for travelers’ diarrhea.

Salix announced Wednesday that it had secured patents for the drug Xifaxan (rifaximin) covering its methods of treating travelers’ diarrhea, as well as two related to the drug’s chemical composition.

The patents are set to expire between 2024 and 2029.