Message #3 From:
NewsBot Date: September 1, 2008 12:31:52 PM
URGP Stock: Urigen Announces Issuance of Key Patent for URG101 - A Novel Therapy to Treat Painful Bladder Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis
BURLINGAME, Calif., August 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Urigen
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: URGP stock, http://www.urigen.com), a
specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and
commercialization of treatments for urological disorders, today announced the
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued the first patent for the use of
URG101, an investigational, bladder instillation treatment for Painful Bladder
Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis (PBS/IC). Patent number US 7,414,039 broadly
covers the use of the URG101 product in the treatment of PBS/IC. The term of
the patent extends into 2025.
'Not only does this patent establish protection for the use of URG101 in
Painful Bladder Syndrome and Interstitial Cystitis; it also validates the
excellent intellectual property guidance provided by Tom Jurgensen, JD of
Catalyst Law and Stephen Reiter, PhD, JD of Foley & Lardner,' stated William
J. Garner, MD, President and CEO of Urigen. 'We will continue to execute our
intellectual property strategy to strengthen our proprietary position in the
field of PBS/IC.'
Urigen has announced positive results from a Phase 2 study of URG101. The
study was a multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial.
Findings from the study included:
-- Primary Endpoint -- Improvement in Average Daytime Pain (p=0.03).
-- Secondary Endpoints -- Improvement in Daytime Urgency (p=0.03) and
Total Symptom Score (p=0.03). In addition, patients reported improved symptom
relief with URG101 as measured by PORIS (p=0.01).
About URG101
URG101 is a pharmaceutical treatment for Painful Bladder
Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis that is instilled into the bladder. URG101
works with lidocaine reducing the sensations of pain, urge and muscle spasms
and heparin, a glycosaminoglycan, coating the bladder wall thus augmenting the
natural heparinoids.
About Painful Bladder Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis (PBS)
Painful Bladder Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis is a recognized medical
condition with increased frequency of diagnosis. PBS/IC is characterized by
bladder pain, urinary urgency and nocturia where few IC treatments exist and
no approved therapies are available for PBS. Today, there are an estimated
10.5 million women and men in North America who suffer from PBS/IC.
About Urigen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Urigen Pharmaceuticals is a specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to
the development and commercialization of therapeutic products for urological
disorders. Urigen's product development programs target significant unmet
medical needs and major market opportunities in urology. URG101 targets
Painful Bladder Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis, which affects approximately
10.5 million men and women in North America. URG301 targets urethritis and
acute urgency in patients diagnosed with an overactive bladder. For further
information, please visit Urigen's website at http://www.urigen.com.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. In some cases,
you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as 'may,'
'will,' 'should,' 'expect,' 'plan,' 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'estimate,'
'predict,' 'potential' or 'continue,' the negative of such terms, or other
comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. Although we
believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are
reasonable, such statements should not be regarded as a representation by the
Company, or any other person, that such forward-looking statements will be
achieved. We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or
otherwise. In light of the foregoing, readers are cautioned not to place undue
reliance on such forward-looking statements. For further risk factors
associated with our Company, please review our SEC filings.
Contact:
Urigen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Martin E. Shmagin Chief Financial Officer www.urigen.com
