S.W, GREEN ALERT on NVID+26% after a 35% run yesterday on heavy Volume....
Innovative Medical Services Acquires Rights to Market Axenohl Disinfecting Technology
Leading Edge Innovation Drives Future Growth
SAN DIEGO--(BW HealthWire)--Dec. 14, 1999--Innovative Medical Services (NASDAQ: PURE - news) today announced it has signed a definitive agreement with NVID International, Inc. (OTC BB: NVID - news) for licensing rights to NVID International's Axenohl(TM) disinfectant technology. The multi-year agreement grants Innovative Medical Services manufacturing and licensing rights for Axenohl in the healthcare, food processing, dental, point-of-use and point-of-entry markets.
''Entering into this agreement for Axenohl provides IMS unique, first-to-market opportunities in several key markets,'' commented Michael L. Krall, President and CEO of Innovative Medical Services. ''We will incorporate Axenohl into current lines of distribution, including retail outlets and e-commerce, while expanding our reach into new industries. From healthcare and food processing to commercial and consumer water treatment, the tremendous world-wide potential of this leading edge technology will drive future growth of the Company.''
Axenohl is a patent-pending, non-toxic aqueous disinfectant. Based upon proprietary ionization stabilization technology, Axenohl does not include the use of traditional disinfectants such as quaternary ammonium salts, phenols, glutaraldehyde, chlorine or bromine compounds. Axenohl enhances the disinfection properties of halogens (chlorine) at reduced levels and is a cost effective, stand alone alternative to halogens in many markets where conventional disinfection methodologies are employed. Innovative Medical Services will market Axenohl as a point-of-use and point-of-entry water treatment solution to the commercial and consumer drinking water markets for use in conjunction with IMS' Nutripure line of water treatment systems.
The disinfection efficacy of Axenohl has been well documented by independent testing laboratories. Axenohl eliminates the following test organism strains all within one minute and 99.9999% efficacy (complete kill): Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15422, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Salmonella cholerasuis ATCC 10708, E. Coli ATCC 0157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 11543, Entrococcus facium ATCC 11543, Rhinovirus (common colds) Rotavirus, (infectious diarrhea). The Axenohl International Patent Application was published by the World Intellectual Property Organization on April 22, 1999 under publication Number WO 99/18790 and is available for public inspection.
In addition to point-of-use and point-of-entry markets, Innovative Medical Services will exercise its exclusive right to market Axenohl to the healthcare market for water treatment and disinfection applications in Australia, North, Central and South America. The Company will also market Axenohl on a non-exclusive basis to Costa Rica and other world markets. As a powerful weapon against microbes, Axenohl may be used for dozens of disinfection applications in hospitals, clinics, surgical centers, doctors' offices and military facilities. For example, additional research completed in November by EPL Bio-Analytical Services of Harristown, IL and Key Laboratory Services of Decatur, IL proves the disinfection efficacy of Axenohl against Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus (VRE). VRE is an Enteroccocus organism that has become resistant to typical antibiotics frequently used in hospitals. VRE is usually spread by direct contact with hands, environmental surfaces or medical equipment that has been contaminated. Axenohl was 99.9999 effective against VRE within one minute at the low level of 1.18 ppm. The results of this research have been submitted to the FDA as part of a broader submittal package that seeks FDA compliance on 14 products for human and veterinary usage. In addition, EPL Bio-Analytical has submitted the Axenohl research data package for EPA registration within the last thirty days.
The Company will also exclusively market Axenohl to food processing markets in Australia, North, Central and South America and competitively in Costa Rica and other world markets. The U.S Department of Agriculture (Agricultural Research Service / Athens, GA) has signed a Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement (Agreement No. 58-6612-0-203), and has committed research dollars for one year specifically to evaluate and identify Axenohl's disinfection efficacy and applications for food processing (poultry) disinfection issues. This project fits the goals of the USDA, which is committed to evaluate disinfection technologies that promise to be more efficacious, cost-effective and environmentally friendly than traditional disinfectants.
Innovative Medical Services also secured the worldwide exclusive right to market Axenohl to the dental market for treatment and control of microorganisms in dental unit waterlines. Dr. Richard I. Karpay DDS, MPH and Chairman of the American Dental Association (ADA) subcommittee on air and water lines, will conduct approximately four months of research to evaluate the disinfection effectiveness of Axenohl for dental unit waterlines. The ADA recently has set new goals for dental waterlines, which state that acceptable biologic quality of the water should be fewer than 200 CFU/mL. The State of California has taken the lead and already adopted the less than 200 CFU/mL guideline established by the ADA. Both research projects are projected to commence by February 1, 2000. The deal will finalize upon the companies' completion of closing requirements.
About NVID International, Inc.
NVID International, Inc., based in Clearwater, Florida, manufactures and markets patent and patent-pending proprietary ionization disinfection technologies that substantially reduce or replace halogens (chlorine) completely. Target markets include: hospital water systems, point-of-use / point-of-entry commercial / residential drinking water, cooling towers, pools and spas, cistern / well, dental unit waterlines, veterinary, horticulture, and food processing applications.
About Innovative Medical Services
Innovative Medical Services, based in El Cajon, California, manufactures and markets water purification, measuring, and dispensing equipment used in pharmacies to reconstitute oral antibiotic suspensions, and residential drinking water filtration systems used in consumer markets. The Company markets proprietary filters for the aforementioned products, thereby gaining another significant source of ongoing sales and cash flow.
The Company's customer base for its Fillmaster® pharmacy systems includes Wal-Mart, Walgreens, American Stores, Eckerd, Kroger, Fred Meyer, Target and CVS. The Company's Nutripure® line of residential water systems includes a residential reverse osmosis water system available as either a convenient, compact unit easily installed beneath the sink, or as an attractive countertop appliance requiring no installation. Brand recognition for the Nutripure products is driven by the new Nutripure 2000 countertop water filtration system. Nutripure 2000 competes with PUR®, Brita® and Culligan® products. Marketing of Nutripure 2000 is supported by consumer targeted, e-commerce advertising campaigns on AOL®, Yahoo® and Lycos®. The Company's products can be purchased online from IMS' Yahoo!® Store at stores.yahoo.com/nutripure or from its web site at www.imspure.com.
Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the ''safe harbor'' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are based on current management expectations that involve risks and uncertainties that may result in such expectations not being realized. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks described in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contact:
Innovative Medical Services
Donna Singer, 619/596-8600
DSinger@imspure.com
or
Global Consultants, Inc.
Michael J. Sclafani, 303/541-0970
|
