AcryMed Inc. receives FDA market approval for new wound care dressing.

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 1995--AcryMed Inc., a biomedical company specializing in advanced technology for wound care management, has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market, distribute and manufacture a new advanced wound care product called AcryDerm.

Patented in the United States, New Zealand and Europe (pending), AcryDerm is a moist wound dressing that is an ideal healing aid in the treatment of a wide variety of acute and chronic dermal wounds, including burns, abrasions, other types of trauma wounds, and breakdown wounds, such as diabetic ulcers, venous and arterial insufficiency ulcers and decubitus ulcers.

The company has scheduled the official introduction of its product to the U.S. healthcare market for second quarter of 1995.

"The formulation of the AcryDerm technology represents a major breakthrough in moist wound dressings," said AcryMed President Dr. Bruce Gibbins. "AcryDerm has the unique property of being supplied in a semi-hydrated form. This enables AcryDerm to rapidly absorb and control moderate to heavy exudate flow, which other typical films, hydrocolloids and hydrogels are unable to do."

AcryDerm has high absorption capacity and provides optimal maintenance of the wound micro-environment. Made of non-allergenic materials, AcryDerm forms intimate contact with the wound bed to support all phases of the wound healing process. The dressing may be left in place longer than traditional dressings since it is permeable to exudate moisture and dissolved gases and is totally occlusive to microorganisms and infectious agents.

AcryDerm will not damage the delicate healing tissues of a wound by dissolving in the wound bed or adhering to the wound surface. The dressing has superior patient comfort characteristics, similar to a typical hydrogel dressing. No competitive products on the market today possess all of these attributes.

AcryDerm is potentially suitable for incorporation of bioengineered promoters of wound healing as well as transdermal delivery of therapeutic drugs.

AcryMed recently signed a manufacturing and distribution agreement with Max India Limited of New Delhi, India. Under the agreement, Max India will finance and build a state-of-the-art production facility which will be devoted exclusively to the manufacture of AcryMed products and which will comply with FDA Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). Max India will be a worldwide manufacturer of AcryDerm and will distribute AcryMed products throughout the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region.

Gibbins founded AcryMed in Portland after his involvement in the development and market introduction of AcryDerm in New Zealand. AcryMed's executive offices, R&D laboratory and U.S. distribution center are located in Portland.

CONTACT: AcryMed Inc.

Bruce Gibbins, 503/624-9830

or

Bistolas Associates Inc.

John Bistolas, 503/232-2781