LONDON and DUBLIN, Ireland, November 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alltracel Pharmaceuticals Plc., ("Alltracel"), (AIM: AP.L), the medical technology company focussed on the consumer wound care, oral care and cardiovascular health markets, is today pleased to announce a partnership with Omscan Ltd - a new specialist wound care company dedicated to the introduction and market development of the m.doc(TM) stops bleeding technology into the UK's professional healthcare sector.
Following the completion of successful field research on m.doc(TM) based blood control products with care professionals in the UK's NHS earlier this year Omscan Ltd was set up specifically to market m.doc(TM) products into the UK professional healthcare sector. Headed up by Nigel Theobald and Nigel Bathurst, former senior marketing executives at Boots the Chemists and Boots Healthcare International respectively, this new venture represents Alltracel's first major step into this significant new market sector for its m.doc(TM) stops bleeding products.
Specifically Omscan will exclusively license the Seal-On brand name from Alltracel within the UK and launch it as a range of professional products for sale in the NHS and other primary health care sectors. The existing range of Seal-On consumer products will remain on sale throughout the UK and this channel will also be managed by Omscan. Alltracel are taking a 20% equity stake in Omscan in return for an initial product stock transfer, and will work closely with the Omscan team on professional sector product and packaging development.
Nigel Bathurst, Director of Omscan, commented:
"We are delighted to be partnering with Alltracel on this significant opportunity. Our initial pilot studies in NHS facilities have identified significant interest and excitement from professional carers in Alltracel's m.doc(TM) stops bleeding products. Omscan will take the successful range of consumer products and develop and market specific solutions for this professional sector as well as continue to grow the Seal-On brand across the UK."
Tony Richardson, Alltracel's CEO commented:
"The Seal-On brand in the UK has been highly successful as the igniting brand which has developed the consumer market potential for m.doc(TM) based products. We have been committed to enter the professional market and this recent field research in NHS facilities has demonstrated significant interest and market potential for m.doc(TM) technology in the professional sector. We believe Seal-On and the dedicated sales and marketing effort by Omscan are the ideal vehicles by which to open up this specialist and significant market sector - worth in excess of GBP100M in the UK alone"
For Further Information Contact: Dublin: Denise Cronin Alltracel: +353-1-235-2162 press@alltracel.com London: Sarah MacLeod Financial Dynamics: +44-(0)207-831-3113 New York: Sean Leous Financial Dynamics: +1-212-850-5626 Notes to Editors follow:
Alltracel (AIM: AP.L) (www.alltracel.com) Alltracel Pharmaceuticals Plc is a Medical Technology Company focussed on the Consumer Woundcare, Oral-Care and Coronary Health markets.
With corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland; Alltracel has a commercial office in London, England; R&D subsidiary in the Czech Republic and manufacturing facilities in Shenzhen, China.
Alltracel was founded in 1996 and listed on London's Alternative Investment Market in July 2001.
m.doc(TM) (Micro Dispersed Oxidized Cellulose; (www.m.doc.com )) is the end product of Alltracel's patented process and is currently targeting two major markets.
- In the Consumer HealthCare market this process applied to cotton in the form of raw cellulose is proven as an effective and efficient haemostatic (blood-stopping) agent. Here m.doc(TM) is currently being marketed as the leading stops bleeding ingredient brand within recognized wound care, oral care and relevant first aid brands worldwide.
- In the Coronary Health market, EU based pre-clinical and patient studies have demonstrated the m.doc(TM) technology platform success in lowering cholesterol and have indicated longer term coronary health benefits. In addition pre-clinical work showed significant indications that the m.doc(TM) coronary health benefits are additive in nature, to both statins and sterols. Further efficacy, dosage and timing/phasing studies to determine optimum delivery systems, formats and combinations in both the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical markets are underway. Development discussions with potential partners in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical sectors in both the EU and North America have commenced.
blotters(TM) is Alltracel's branded blood stopping thin film technology for the consumer first aid and grooming markets. The blotters(TM) are small, thin, film strips (similar to breath freshener strips) impregnated with m.doc(TM) - Alltracel's unique blood stopping ingredient and are packed in a convenient pocket-sized plastic dispenser. When placed on minor cuts e.g. shaving nicks m.doc(TM) is released on contact with the blood, forming a soft gel-like layer over the wound to stop the bleeding fast.
m.doc(TM), blotters(TM) are trademarks of Alltracel Pharmaceuticals PLC.
Alltracel Pharmaceuticals Plc.CONTACT: Dublin: Denise Cronin, Alltracel: +353-1-235-2162,press@alltracel.com, London: Sarah MacLeod, Financial Dynamics:+44-(0)207-831-3113, New York: Sean Leous, Financial Dynamics:+1-212-850-5626
