US 12280146

Here is a concise summary of US Patent 12280146:

US Patent 12280146

• Title: Nanoemulsion without propylene glycol
• Assignee: Biofrontera Inc. (Current Assignee as of 2025-11-05). The original assignee was Biofrontera Bioscience GmbH.
• Inventors: Montserrat FOGUET and Lars MÖLLMANN
• Filing Date: 2023-12-08
• Issue Date: 2025-04-22 (Application granted on this date)
• Abstract: The patent describes oil-in-water nanoemulsions that are essentially free of propylene glycol. These nanovesicle formulations are noted for their enhanced stability, particularly in terms of shelf life across various storage temperatures.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

The patent defines several "aspects of the invention" which function as independent claims:

• Claim 1 (Formulation): This claim covers a topical formulation designed to be applied to the skin. It includes an oil-in-water nanoemulsion. This nanoemulsion contains an aqueous (water-based) part and a carrier. The carrier itself is made up of a fatty substance (lipophilic component), an emulsifying agent (surfactant), and an alcohol. Crucially, the formulation also contains an active ingredient with a carboxylic acid group (or a related chemical form). A defining characteristic is that this entire formulation contains less than 1% by weight of propylene glycol, or ideally, no propylene glycol at all.
• Claim 2 (Method of Treatment): This claim specifies the use of the formulation described in Claim 1 for treating or preventing dermatological (skin-related) diseases or conditions.
• Claim 3 (Method of Preparation): This claim outlines a process for manufacturing the formulation. It involves two main steps: (a) mixing the fatty component, the surfactant, and an alcohol (specifically one with at least three carbon atoms); and (b) combining this mixture with an aqueous component under conditions that lead to the formation of a nanoemulsion. The active ingredient is added during this process so that it can interact with the surface of the tiny oil droplets (nanovesicles) when it's dissolved in the water-based part.
• Claim 4 (Method of Photodynamic Diagnosis): This claim describes a method for using the formulation in photodynamic diagnosis. This diagnostic method targets neoplastic (cancerous or pre-cancerous), proliferative, inflammatory, or bacterial conditions of the skin, such as acne.

CAFC 2026 Dockets Search:
A search of CAFC 2026 dockets did not identify any cases directly referencing US Patent 12280146. However, the Google Patents page for US12280146B2 indicates that there is a pending PTAB case, PGR2026-00021, associated with the patent family. No direct CAFC dockets for 2026 related to this specific patent were found in the provided search results.