Today's news....
Tuesday January 15, 8:17 am Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: Rockwell Medical Technologies, Inc.
Rockwell Medical Technologies, Inc. Signs Exclusive, Worldwide, Proprietary Licensing Agreements to Market Water-Soluble Iron Through Its Dialysate
WIXOM, Mich., Jan. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rockwell Medical Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: RMTI - news), a leading, innovative hemodialysis concentrate manufacturer in the healthcare industry, reported today that it has signed separate licensing agreements that give the Company exclusive, worldwide proprietary rights to manufacture, market and distribute a water-soluble iron supplement via the Company's dialysate.
Rockwell Medical Technologies, Inc. has entered into global licensing agreements, with both Ash Medical Systems, Inc. and Charak, LLC, that grant the Company the exclusive, worldwide rights to manufacture, market and distribute liquid and dry dialysate compositions containing water-soluble iron to be administered to both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients with renal failure.
Ash Medical Systems, Inc., based in Indiana, was co-founded by Nephrologist Dr. Stephen Ash who serves as the Chairman and Director of Research and Development. Charak, LLC, based in Ann Arbor, MI, was founded by Nephrologist Dr. Ajay Gupta who serves as the President and CEO.
Rockwell has licensed all patents, issued and pending, from both Ash Medical Systems, Inc. and Charak, LLC relating to the pharmaceutical composition, methods of use and delivery for all iron compounds, and specifically ferric pyrophosphate, to a dialysis patient. Based on results from FDA approved Phase II clinical studies, using dialysate as the delivery mechanism in hemodialysis patients, ferric pyrophosphate decreases the need for intravenous iron (IV iron) by 80% and consequently reduces the risks associated with the toxic effects of IV iron such as hypotension and anaphylactoid reactions, which can be life
threatening. Unlike the IV iron, ferric pyrophosphate does not require processing by the liver and thereby eliminates the liver toxicity. It is effective in treating patients who are not able to release iron from storage sites due to a co-existent inflammatory state. Phase II clinical studies also showed that ferric pyrophosphate is well tolerated by patients without any short-term or long-term side effects. Most importantly, it maintains a constant state of iron balance thereby facilitating the hematopoietic effects of erythropoietin (EPOGEN), without overloading the tissues with iron and thereby mitigating oxidative injury. Released pyrophosphate is also an anti-oxidant, which reduces the negative impact of oxidative stress that occurs to the patient during dialysis.
Iron administration via dialysate is ideally suited for hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients, and also those receiving hemodialysis at home who currently must travel to a hospital on a regular basis to receive IV iron. Furthermore, iron delivery via the dialysate eliminates nursing and pharmaceutical administration costs associated with IV iron administration.
<abridged>
biz.yahoo.com |
