Photocure granter patent in Europe and Russia for Visonac in the treatment of acne
Oslo, Norway, November 26, 2009: Both the European Patent Office and the Patent Office in Russia have issued decisions to grant a patent on Photocures patent application "PDT Acne". The granted patents will provide protection for the use of the 5-ALA-ester methyl aminolevulinate (MAL- the active ingredient in Visonac™) and other 5-ALA-esters in the treatment of acne until November 2025.
"We are very pleased with these decisions giving a strong patent protection on Photocures lead dermatology product", says Kjetil Hestdal, President and CEO of Photocure. "Patent protection of our products is a key to succeed in the market".
Visonac™ is a photodynamic therapy that combines the Visonac™ cream with illumination by a red light source to treat acne. Visonac(TM) cream contains MAL. The cream is applied to the acne area to be treated and after a short incubation time, the skin is illuminated with red light. The PDT procedure kills bacteria and appears to have a beneficial effect on sebaceous glands and inflammatory cells.
About acne:
Acne is a common skin condition which affects up to 85% of adolescents. Each year, US dermatologists register nearly 3 million visits concerning acne. Of those who seek medical advice from a dermatologist, about 50% have moderate and 20% have severe acne.
Current therapies for these patients include oral antibiotics and isotretinoin, both products that may have significant adverse effects. There is thus a clear medical need for a safe and efficacious topical treatment for acne patients.
For further information, contact:
President and CEO Kjetil Hestdal
E-mail: kh@photocure.no
Mobile: +47 913 19 535
Office: +47 22 06 22 10
CFO Christian Fekete
E-mail: cf@photocure.no
Mobile: +47 916 42 938
Office: +47 22 06 22 10
About Photocure:
Photocure is a Norwegian pharmaceutical company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE: PHO). The company develops and sells pharmaceuticals and medical devices for the photodynamic treatment and diagnosis of cancer and selected dermatology indications.
Photocures commercial activities includes own marketing and sales in selected markets as well as out-licensing to leading pharmaceutical companies on a regional or global basis prior to phase III.
Photocure has one proprietary pharmaceutical product on the market: Hexvix®, for the diagnosis of bladder cancer. Hexvix is approved in EU and under priority review by FDA in the US. In addition, the company has developed a proprietary light source, which is used in combination with the Visonac(TM) cream. Through worldwide studies, Photocure is continuously testing its products for new indications, and the aim is to develop a pipeline of follow-on products based on the Photocure Technology(TM) platform.
Photocure® and Hexvix® are registered trademarks of Photocure ASA.
For more information about Photocure, visit our website at www.photocure.com.
Photocure ASA