ASHBURN, Va., Nov. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Innocoll, Inc. announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Syntacoll AG, has been notified that pursuant to Rule 51(4) EPC, the European Patent Office (EPO) intends to grant two of Innocoll’s patent applications which are both based on its proprietary CollaRx technology; Patent No. 1259269 entitled “Agent for the Treatment of Wounds” and Patent No. 1265648 entitled “Novel Natural Polymer-Based Material with Improved Properties for Use in Human and Veterinary Medicine and the Method of Manufacture such”.
The ‘269 patent is for an advanced wound care product comprised of a collagen or other natural polymer layer adhered to a synthetic polymer foam in a non-occlusive, ready-to-use format. The corresponding US Patent No. 6,855,860 entitled “Composite Dressings for Treatment of Wounds” is already granted and issued. In the preferred embodiment known as DermaSIL(TM), the collagen layer is a highly purified, fully biodegradable and resorbable type 1 collagen that retains the triple helical molecular structure of native collagen. This layer is placed in direct contact with the wound bed and is designed to stimulate the natural wound healing process and provide a matrix for the formation of granulation tissue. The synthetic polymer foam layer mechanically stabilizes the collagen layer, protects the wound, and provides permeability to air and moisture in maintaining an optimum wound healing environment. This layer is non-adhesive such that it can be easily removed upon dressing change without disrupting or disturbing the collagen layer, which remains in direct contact with the wound bed or else may already be fully biodegraded according to the residence time. The product is considered most suitable for the treatment of deep wounds that penetrate the middle and deepest layers of skin, or dermis. These deep wounds occur in second- or third-degree burns and in a variety of acute and/or chronic dermal wounds, such as diabetic ulcers and pressure sores.
The ‘648 patent describes a novel, fully biodegradable and resorbable collagen-based material with improved mechanical, physical and functional properties that has application as a wound covering or surgical implant for the purpose of tissue augmentation and repair where mechanical strength is especially desirable. The material may optionally contain drugs and other bioactive substances for local delivery to the site of implantation or tissue defect.
Commenting on receipt of the notices, Dr. Michael Myers, President and CEO said, “The grant of these two patents will both broaden and strengthen the intellectual property covering our core CollaRx platform technology and particularly its applications in wound healing, biosurgery and local drug delivery. Having now secured both European and US patent rights for our advanced wound care product, DermaSIL, we are intent on scaling-up the proprietary manufacturing process and commercializing this product in 2008 through our CollMED Laboratories joint venture in the US and in collaboration with distribution partners in Europe.”
About CollaRx(R)
CollaRx is Innocoll’s lead technology platform for the site specific, local delivery of a wide variety of drugs with particular emphasis on antibiotics, anesthetics, anti-cancer agents and tissue regeneration proteins and peptides. The CollaRx technology forms the basis of Innocoll’s lead product, Gentamicin Surgical Implant, a biodegradable leave-behind implant indicated for the treatment and prevention of surgical site infection in both hard and soft tissue. This product is already approved in 49 countries and is in phase 3 development in the US. Other CollaRx sponge products under clinical development by Innocoll include a CollaRx Bupivacaine Implant for the management of post-operative pain and a topically-applied CollaRx Gentamicin Sponge for the treatment and prevention of diabetic foot infections. Innocoll’s CollaRx membrane technology forms the basis of Innocoll’s CollaGUARD(TM) advanced wound care product, which is approved as medical device in the EU and US.
About Innocoll, Inc.
Innocoll is a privately held, specialty pharmaceutical company focused on biodegradable surgical implants and topically applied healthcare products. It develops and manufactures a range of pharmaceutical products and medical devices using its proprietary collagen-based technologies, CollaRx(R) and Liquicoll(R). Innocoll ‘s lead product, Gentamicin Surgical Implant for the treatment and prevention of surgical site infections, is approved for sale in 49 countries in Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Africa and Asia and is marketed under the following trade names; COLLATAMP(R) G, COLLATAMP(R) EG, SULMYCIN(R) IMPLANT, GARAMYCIN(R) SCHWAMM, DURACOL(R), DURACOLL(R), GENTACOL(R), GENTACOLL(R), GARACOL(R), GARACOLL(R), and CRONOCOL(R). In 2005, Innocoll acquired the worldwide marketing rights for this product from Essex Chemis AG, an affiliated company of Schering-Plough Corporation and in August 2007 sold its marketing rights, with the exception of the US, to EUSA Pharma. Other late stage pharmaceutical products in Innocoll’s development pipeline include CollaRx Gentamicin Topical for the treatment and prevention of infected diabetic foot ulcers and CollaRx Bupivacaine Implant for the management of post-operative pain, both of which are currently in Phase 2 development. For more information, please visit www.innocoll.com.
About CollMED Laboratories, Inc.
CollMED is an advanced wound care company focused on the development, commercialization and distribution of innovative, collagen-based products. The company currently markets COLLIEVA(TM) (formerly CollaGUARD(TM)), a dressing comprised of a unique collagen membrane, and has three products in development; COLLIEVA(TM) Ag, DermaSIL(TM), and an anti-adhesion barrier for prevention of surgical adhesions. CollMED is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina and is a joint venture between Innocoll, Inc. and Bourne Partners. For more information, please visit www.collmedlabs.com.
CONTACT: Martha Clancy, Communications Officer of Innocoll, Inc.,
+353-(0)-906-634902, mclancy@innocoll-tech.com
Web site: http://www.innocollinc.com/
