China Nuokang Bio-Pharmaceutical Inc. Announces Agreement to Market Dianatal(R) Obstetric Gel in Greater China Region
Dianatal(R) Obstetric Gel is currently marketed in Switzerland, Germany, UK and Central Europe with leading pharmaceutical companies, such as GSK and Sandoz Pharmaceuticals. The product is patent protected and is the first obstetric gel registered for human use worldwide. The product received European approval as a medical device in 2007.
Randomized clinical studies of Dianatal demonstrated that application of the product by first time mothers could reduce the risk of perineal injury associated with vaginal childbirth, and could also reduce the duration of the second stage of labor by up to 30%.
Under the terms of the agreement, Nuokang will receive an exclusive license to register, market and distribute Dianatal(R) Obstetric Gel in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Nuokang expects to launch the product in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan by early 2011. In mainland China, Nuokang expects that product registration could take up to 18 months.
Mr. Baizhong Xue, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nuokang, stated, "We are pleased to work with HCB to register and market Dianatal(R) Obstetric Gel in the Greater China region. The market potential and the strategic fit make this an exciting opportunity for Nuokang. In China, over 19 million women give birth each year, and many of these women are first time mothers due to the one-child policy. The addressable market is substantial, and we have the extensive hospital-based sales team and established relationships with surgical departments to help drive increasing usage of this product over time."
Dr. Andreas Schaub, Founder and CEO of HCB, said, "We are very pleased to work with Nuokang to bring this novel product to the Greater China region. The market opportunity, based on the number of births and the increasing demand for high quality medical care, is extremely compelling. We partnered with Nuokang because of their sales and distribution network and their proven experience marketing products to the medical community. Overall, our clinical experience and patient feedback confirms that Dianatal(R) Obstetric Gel makes a positive contribution to the experience and outcome of childbirth. Together with Nuokang, we are happy to make this contribution in the Greater China region."
Additional Information
Dianatal(R) Obstetric Gel was developed by Dr. Andreas F. Schaub and leading Swiss research institutions after analyzing the recorded outcomes of deliveries in Switzerland over a ten year period. They noted a strong correlation between vaginal friction experienced by mothers during childbirth and the likelihood of trauma during vaginal delivery. Together with Professor Robert Riener of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and Professor Ulrich Bleul of the Vetsuisse Faculty Zurich, HCB then developed a novel sophisticated laboratory model to simulate the effect of vaginal friction during childbirth, in order to evaluate gel formulations designed to reduce the physical forces acting on the fetus during birth. This lead to the development of an optimum gel formulation, Dianatal(R) Obstetric Gel, which was subsequently assessed in a number of controlled clinical studies.
The safety of Dianatal(R) Obstetric Gel has been extensively tested and there is no evidence of irritation or other unwanted effects on either the mother or the newborn child.
About China Nuokang Bio-Pharmaceutical Inc.
China Nuokang Bio-Pharmaceutical Inc. (Nasdaq:NKBP) is a leading biopharmaceutical company in China focused on the research, development, manufacture, marketing and sales of hospital-based medical products. The Company provides a diversified portfolio of products across more than 2,400 hospitals in China. Nuokang's principal products include Baquting(R), China's leading hemocoagulase product by market share, and Aiduo(R), a cardiovascular stress imaging agent. The Company's product pipeline includes product candidates under development in hematological, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Please visit www.nkbp.com for more information.
About HCB Happy Child Birth Holding AG:
HCB was founded in 2003 by Dr. Andreas Schaub and senior pharmaceutical executives to commercialize products to ease the trauma of childbirth in mothers and newborns and to optimize birth outcomes in mothers and newborns. The Company is headquartered in Switzerland.
Further information can be found at www.happychildbirth.com and www.dianatal.com
Safe-Harbor Statement
This press release contains statements of a forward-looking nature. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including certain plans, expectations, goals, and projections, which are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements containing words such as "may," "could," "would," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "expects," "intends" and "future" or similar expressions. Among other things, the statements relating to the Company's expected progress on the new product portfolio may contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are subject to change at any time. These forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Company's control that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those described under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F.
CONTACT: ICR, LLC Investor Contact: In the U.S.: Ashley M. Ammon Christine Duan 646-277-1227 In China: Wen Lei Zheng Yuening Jiang 86-10-6599-7968
HCB Happy Childbirth Holdings AG +41 41 5442220 Surrenweg 7 CH-6318 Walchwil, Switzerland