Cortecs granted U.S. patent for H. pylori saliva tests.LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 12, 1995--Cortecs International (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :DLVRY/LSE:SEAQ/ASX:CRI CRI constant-rate infusion. ) ("Cortecs"), the U.K. based oral drug delivery company, today announced that it has been granted a patent in the United States for saliva diagnostic testing Diagnostic testing Testing performed to determine if someone is affected with a particular disease. Mentioned in: Von Willebrand Disease for the bacterium Helicobacter pylori. The bacterium is known to be the most common cause of gastritis and peptic ulcers and has been declared a Class One carcinogen carcinogen: see cancer. carcinogen Agent that can cause cancer. Exposure to one or more carcinogens, including certain chemicals, radiation, and certain viruses, can initiate cancer under conditions not completely understood. by the World Health Organization. The patent runs for 17 years. One of the key technologies involved in rapid tests is the development of antigens to the specific disease/infection. Cortecs has produced and received approval for H. pylori antigens that enable accurate, rapid diagnosis for the bacterium and has patents pending for these. The company already markets HELISAL Rapid Blood test, which uses a finger prick blood sample, and a HELISAL Rapid Saliva test could provide a new, noninvasive test. Both tests, which may be used in the doctor's office or in the field, would enable the point-of-care practitioner to accurately diagnose whether a patient presenting with peptic symptoms is infected with H. pylori within the course of a normal consultation. The tests are self-contained, easy to use, and provide an accurate cost-effective alternative to time-consuming laboratory testing for the infection which has the highest prevalence in man apart from tooth decay. Cortecs already has distribution agreements in place with Zenyaku Kogyo in Japan for its entire HELISAL range of rapid blood and saliva tests and has a HELISAL Rapid Blood sales and distribution agreement with Boehringer Mannheim for Europe and certain other territories. Interest in the concept of saliva testing is growing. There is mounting evidence that implicates H. pylori infection with stomach cancer and with heart disease. This suggests that there may well be a future need for wide-spread screening of groups most at risk due to age, sociological or familial reasons. Rapid saliva testing offers a practical, non-invasive procedure enabling cost effective group testing. Cortecs is a British-based company quoted on the London Stock Exchange London Stock Exchange London marketplace for securities. It was formed in 1773 by a group of stockbrokers who had been doing business informally in local coffeehouses. , the Australian Stock Exchange Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) Australia's major securities market, formed when the six state stock exchanges (Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney stock exchanges) were merged in 1987. and NASDAQ. the company specializes in the development of new pharmaceutical delivery systems for the healthcare industry. Other major areas include: o MACROMOL-a system for the oral delivery of biotechnology drugs, such as calcitonin calcitonin /cal·ci·to·nin/ (-to´nin) a polypeptide hormone secreted by C cells of the thyroid gland, and sometimes of the thymus and parathyroids, which lowers calcium and phosphate concentration in plasma and inhibits bone resorption. , which is presently in Phase II clinical trials. o Oral Therapeutic Antigens-orally delivered treatments against diseases such as influenza and pseudomonas Pseudomonas A genus of gram-negative, nonsporeforming, rod-shaped bacteria. Motile species possess polar flagella. They are strictly aerobic, but some members do respire anaerobically in the presence of nitrate. infection (in cystic fibrosis) which is currently in Phase I/II trials. o ADEPT-an oral system to prevent and treat diarrhea without antibiotics o Point of Care Diagnostics-a range of diagnostic kits including: o HELISAL for the detection of Helicobacter pylori. o A rapid test in development to detect bone breakdown indicating the presence of the disease Osteoporosis. o A rapid test in development to assist in the monitoring of the medium and longer term control of diabetes. o Cortecs Healthcare markets a range of ethical and OTC OTC See: Over-the-counter. OTC See over-the-counter market (OTC). medicines and diagnostic products. CONTACT: Kehoe, White, Savage & Co., New York Van Negris, 212/888-1616 or Cortecs International, London Dr. Michael Flynn, 011 44 181 568 7071 or Buchanan Communications, London Zena Bates Bates , Katherine Lee 1859-1929. American educator and writer best known for her poem "America the Beautiful," written in 1893 and revised in 1904 and 1911. , 011 44 171 489 1441 |
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