Altea Receives SBIR Phase I Grant for Non-Invasive Delivery of Insulin.

Health & Medical Writers

ATLANTA--(BW HealthWire)--Sept. 19, 2000

Altea Development Corp. (Altea) Tuesday announced that it has received a Phase I grant of $99,910 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to study Altea's MicroPor(TM) system for non-invasive delivery of insulin.

Altea's patented MicroPor(TM) technology creates microscopic pores in the outermost dead layer of skin cells, opening tiny pathways to the underlying viable tissues.

Altea has demonstrated delivery of physiologically-relevant amounts of peptides and proteins in pilot clinical studies with compounds such as insulin and parathyroid hormone (1-34), and with other macromolecules of greater than 40,000 daltons.

This unique system enables needleless infusion of biotechnology products with delivery profiles that can be tailored as desired for different applications, e.g., a steady infusion of the drug, a bolus delivery, or a combination of basal plus on-demand bolus as required.

This technology enables convenient, controllable transdermal delivery of these macromolecular drugs, which is not possible with conventional transdermal systems.

"Altea's technology enables peptide drugs such as insulin to be conveniently delivered to patients without use of a needle or other invasive methods.

"Our MicroPor(TM) system allows the delivery profile to be uniquely tailored to meet the individual patient's varying needs, a feature currently not available with other non-invasive systems under development," commented Deborah Eppstein, Ph.D., Altea's chairman and chief executive officer.

"We are now very pleased to receive this SBIR grant from the NIH to further our studies of insulin delivery with our MicroPor(TM) system."

Under the grant, Altea will evaluate the clinical delivery profile of insulin through MicroPor(TM) in response to parameters such as low-dose current. The principal investigator on the grant program is Dr. Harry Delcher, M.D., Altea's chief medical officer.

Delcher, a practicing clinical endocrinologist, has been involved with the MicroPor(TM) research for both the delivery and monitoring applications over the last five years.

Altea is a member of the privately held family of companies developing the MicroPor(TM) technology for drug delivery applications, including delivery of vaccines and gene therapy products by Altea Genomics; and delivery of peptides and proteins, as well as small molecules requiring rapid and on-demand onset of action, such as pain medications by Altea Development Corp.

Altea Genomics is working with Elan Corp. (NYSE: ELN) on developing selected products, including several undisclosed DNA vaccines. Altea Development Corp. is evaluating an undisclosed recombinant protein with Novartis.

The non-invasive monitoring applications of the MicroPor(TM) technology are licensed to SpectRx Inc. (NASDAQ: SPRX), who is developing the glucose monitoring products with Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT). For more information, please visit our web site at www.alteatech.com.

Note Regarding Projections and Forward-looking Statements

Statements in this release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Reform Act of 1995, including Altea's beliefs, expectations, hopes, or intentions regarding the future. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and are based on information available to Altea as of such date.