BOONTON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May. 29, 2009--
Unigene Laboratories, Inc. (OTCBB: UGNE http://www.unigene.com)
reported that its first patent covering its Site-Directed Bone Growth
(SDBG) technology has issued. The technology, jointly invented in
collaboration with Dr. Agnès Vignery at the Yale School of Medicine, is
designed to facilitate and accelerate bone growth at precisely targeted
locations in the body using a simple surgical procedure that can be
performed on an outpatient basis with minimal invasiveness. Animal
studies have shown that, in combination with one or more therapeutic
compounds, SDBG can grow significant amounts of high quality bone.
The claims of U.S patent #7,531,518, "Method of Fostering Bone Formation
and Preservation," provide broad protection for the inducement of rapid
bone growth at specific skeletal sites and its subsequent preservation
using a variety of therapeutic agents, such as parathyroid hormone,
calcitonin and bisphosphonates. Several other patent applications
covering the SDBG program are currently being reviewed by the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office.
"The issuance of this first patent provides us with broad intellectual
property protection for this novel technology," stated Dr. Warren Levy,
President and CEO of Unigene. "This patent and the potential issuance of
other patent applications could provide Unigene with a comprehensive
family of patents that would cover a variety of bone ailments that
affect a large segment of the population. Although still in the early
stages of development, SDBG may ultimately allow surgeons to stimulate
rapid bone growth in patients with low bone density in areas such as the
hip or spine. In addition, SDBG may ultimately be used to accelerate the
rate of fracture healing. We believe that potential future applications
may include the treatment or prevention of hip and vertebral fractures,
the replacement of current vertebroplasty techniques, the stabilization
of prosthetic devices, and the repair of long bone fractures."
About Unigene
Unigene Laboratories, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focusing on
the oral and nasal delivery of large-market peptide drugs. Due to the
size of the worldwide osteoporosis market, Unigene is targeting its
initial efforts on developing calcitonin and PTH-based therapies.
Fortical®, Unigene's nasal calcitonin product for the
treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, received FDA approval and was
launched in 2005. Unigene has licensed the U.S. rights for Fortical®
to Upsher-Smith Laboratories, worldwide rights for its oral PTH
technology to GlaxoSmithKline and worldwide rights for its calcitonin
manufacturing technology to Novartis. Unigene's patented oral delivery
technology has successfully delivered, in preclinical and/or clinical
trials, various peptides including calcitonin, PTH and insulin.
Unigene's patented manufacturing technology is designed to
cost-effectively produce peptides in quantities sufficient to support
their worldwide commercialization as oral or nasal therapeutics. For
more information about Unigene, call (973) 265-1100 or visit www.unigene.com.
For information about Fortical, visit www.fortical.com.
Safe Harbor statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements as
defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such
forward-looking statements are based upon Unigene Laboratories, Inc.'s
management's current expectations, estimates, beliefs, assumptions, and
projections about Unigene's business and industry. Words such as
"anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "believes,"
"seeks," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "would," "potential,"
"continue," and variations of these words (or negatives of these words)
or similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking
statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations,
projections, or other characterizations of future events or
circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of
future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and
assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results
could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any
forward-looking statements as a result of various risk factors. These
risks and uncertainties include the risks associated with the effect of
changing economic conditions, trends in the products markets, variations
in Unigene's cash flow, market acceptance risks, technical development
risks and other risk factors detailed in Unigene's Securities and
Exchange Commission filings.
Source: Unigene Laboratories, Inc.
The Investor Relations Group
Erika Moran/Dian Griesel, Ph.D.,
212-825-3210
or
Media:
Janet Vazquez, 212-825-3210
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