WASHINGTON, March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Apricus Biosciences, Inc. Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Bassam Damaj, (Nasdaq: APRI) (http://www.apricusbio.com) said in an interview with Charles Sample on CEONEWS.Tv that Apricus Bio has transformed in 2012 from a clinical development company to an income-generating, hybrid specialty pharmaceutical firm.
The interview is at: http://www.ceonews.tv/apri
Damaj cited the company’s proprietary NexACT® technology for drug deliver through the skin, its $25 million in cash, its recent acquisitions, its partnerships, and the expected sales in 2012 from several proprietary products as factors that he believes warrant a higher market valuation.
Apricus Bio is focused on sexual dysfunction, oncology, dermatology, autoimmune, pain, anti-infectives, diabetes and consumer healthcare. The company describes NexACT® as a clinically validated multi-route drug delivery technology, utilizing patented, highly effective, novel “penetration enhancers” to dramatically improve absorption and bioavailability of drugs. Varying the concentration of the enhancer allows for local or systemic delivery of a drug, as desired.
Damaj noted that the company expects Abbott Laboratories to begin marketing Apricus Bio’s NexACT® based Vitaros® topical cream for erectile dysfunction (ED) in Canada this year. The topical application of Vitaros® helps to reduce side effects and enables men who cannot take, or do not do well with the existing ED drugs, to have a patient-friendly alternative.
In addition to its partnership with Abbott, Apricus Bio has established sales and distribution partnerships for its products with Warner Chilcott and Novartis, and the company will set up other partnerships as needed, Damaj said. Other key NexACT®based products in Apricus Bio’s commercialization pipeline include Femprox®, a treatment for female sexual arousal disorder (“FSAD”), MycoVa ® for nail fungus and PrevOnco, a treatment for hepatocellular liver carcinoma.
As a key part of Apricus Bio’s transition to a commercial, specialty pharma, Damaj cited the recent or pending acquisitions and agreements in oncology and oncology supportive care, including of Topotarget USA and PediaRx with their FDA approved drugs: Totect® (dexrazoxane HCl), Granisol (granisetron), and Aquoral. In addition, Damaj cited the fact that Apricus Bio was chosen to ring the closing bell at the NASDAQ Stock Market on March 9 as validation of the company’s growth. He said that his key focus in 2012 will be to build a higher regard for Apricus Bio among individual and institutional investors, analysts and pharmaceutical partners.
Among the potential future advantages Damaj will continue to cite for Apricus Bio this year include Vitaros® coming to market in Canada, the currently anticipated approval of Vitaros® in Europe, three products coming to market in the U.S., plus the company’s strong cash position. For more on Apricus Bio, see: www.apricusbio.com.
The full interview is at: http://www.ceonews.tv/apri
About Apricus Biosciences, Inc.:
Apricus Bio is a San Diego-based, revenue-generating, specialty pharmaceutical company, with commercial products and a broad pipeline across numerous therapeutic classes. Revenues and growth are driven from the sales of the Company’s commercial products through its Apricus Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. and NexMed (USA), Inc. subsidiaries and through out-licensing in certain territories of its product pipeline and NexACT(R) technology. Apricus Bio currently markets Totect(R)(dexrazoxane HCl), the only drug approved in the US for the treatment of anthracycline extravasation. Apricus Bio’s current pipeline includes Vitaros(R), approved in Canada for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, as well as compounds in development from pre-clinical through pre-registration currently focused on Sexual Dysfunction, Oncology, Dermatology, Autoimmune, Pain, Anti-Infectives, Diabetes and Consumer Healthcare.
ABOUT CEONEWS.Tv:
CEONEWS.Tv is an online, market news provider that brings investors “Big News For The SmallCap Market!”. CEONEWS.Tv offers a number of innovative platforms that allow CEOs, CFOs, COOs, Presidents and Directors of companies to deliver answers to the questions that investors would like asked. Through these mediums Executives share their insights, accomplishments, current projects, daily challenges they face and future goals and aspirations they have for the companies that they lead. For further information please visit http://www.ceonews.tv, send an email to: ceonews.tv@gmail.com or call 765-CEONEWS (236-6397).
Forward-Looking Safe Harbor Statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, as amended: with the exception of the historical information contained in this release, the matters described herein contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that may individually or mutually impact the matters herein described for a variety of reasons that are outside the control of Apricus Biosciences, including, but not limited to, its ability to further develop its and their products and product candidates, to have its products and product candidates approved by relevant regulatory authorities, including Europe, to successfully commercialize such NexACT(R) products as Vitaros(R) for erectile dysfunction and product candidates and to achieve its development, commercialization and financial goals with Sandoz in Germany and other countries. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein. Readers are urged to read the risk factors set forth in the Apricus Biosciences’ most recent annual report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q and other filings made with the SEC. Copies of these reports are available from the SEC’s website or without charge from Apricus Biosciences.
SOURCE Apricus Biosciences, Inc.; CEONEWS.Tv
