ENDO news. Two new patents issued.....
March 30, 1999 13:08
Endocare Continues to Broaden Its Patent Portfolio; The Company
Adds Two New Issued Patents for Nitinol Stent Technology
IRVINE, Calif., March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Endocare, Inc. (Nasdaq: ENDO) announced today that it has
received notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its patent application entitled
"Urological Stent Therapy System and Method." The Company has also entered into an exclusive
licensing agreement with BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER, a Harvard Medical School
affiliate for its patent entitled, "Method for Treatment of Obstructive Portions of Urinary Passageways." The
nitinol stent patents will be used in conjunction with the Company's Horizon Stent and ThermaStent
technologies.
"We continue to pay careful attention to expanding our intellectual property position and are pleased to
add these patents to our patent portfolio. In the past year, the company has had several key patents
issued for both our nitinol stent and cryosurgical technologies. Our proprietary technology positions
should allow the company to maintain its leadership as a prostate therapy innovator in two large market
opportunities -- prostate cancer and BPH," said Paul Mikus, Endocare's Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer. "With the Horizon Stent, now in clinical trials, and the ThermaStent, in the preclinical stage,
Endocare is positioning itself to provide the male population with potential treatment technologies that
have been developed to provide both temporary and long-term relief to the BPH sufferer."
Endocare (www.ecare.org) develops, manufactures, and markets an array of innovative,
temperature-based surgical devices and technologies, including those used in targeted cryoablation for
treatment of prostate cancer. The company is also developing innovative stent technologies for prostate
obstruction.
This release contains forward looking statements. The Company's business and results of operations are
subject to risk and uncertainties including, but not limited to, those discussed in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K and Form S-3, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such risk
factors include, but are not limited to, limited operating history of the Company with a history of losses;
fluctuations in the Company's order levels; uncertainty regarding market acceptance of the Company's
new products; uncertainty of product development and the associated risks related to clinical trials; the
rapid pace of technological change in the Company's industry; the Company's limited sales, marketing
and manufacturing experience; the ability to convince health care professionals and third party payers of
the medical and economic benefits of the Company's Cryocare System, and, uncertainty as to whether
payers will reimburse health care providers who perform prostate cancer cryosurgical procedures or that
reimbursement, if provided, will be adequate. The actual results that the Company achieves may differ
materially from any forward looking statements due to such risks and uncertainties.
SOURCE Endocare, Inc.
/CONTACT: Paul W. Mikus, Chairman and CEO, or William R. Hughes, Senior
Vice President and CFO, 949-595-4770, both of Endocare, Inc.; or Paul
Williams, Media Relations, 310-937-2009/
/Web site: ecare.org
(ENDO) |
