DALLAS and NEW YORK, July 8,
2014 /PRNewswire/ -- ACCESS PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (OTCBB:
ACCP), an emerging biopharmaceutical company, has received
notification from the Hong Kong Patent Office that a patent for
MuGard™ has been granted. The patent (HK1126134) protects a
wide range of liquid formulations for the prevention and treatment
of mucosal diseases and disorders.
"Being awarded the Hong Kong
patent further expands and further strengthens our global MuGard
patent portfolio position," commented Jeffrey Davis, President and CEO of Access. "We
are actively seeking additional marketing partners worldwide and
bolstering MuGard patent protection in areas like Hong Kong is in line with this licensing
strategy."
MuGard provides the oral mucosa with a thin protective hydrogel
layer which has been demonstrated in several clinical studies of
mucositis to benefit patients in terms of reduced pain and
discomfort as well as a reduction in objective mucositis
scores.
Access recently announced that one of the oldest peer-reviewed
journals in oncology, the American Cancer Society's journal
publication, Cancer, featured MuGard as the cover article of its
May 2014 edition. The publication,
entitled "Multi-Institutional, Randomized, Double-Blind,
Placebo-Controlled Trial to Assess the Efficacy of a Mucoadhesive
Hydrogel (MuGard) in Mitigating Oral Mucositis Symptoms in Patients
Being Treated With Chemoradiation Therapy for Cancers of the Head
and Neck," discusses data on Access' post-marketing clinical trial
that evaluated the efficacy of MuGard in controlling symptoms
caused by oral mucositis in 120 patients receiving chemoradiation
therapy for the treatment of cancers of the head and neck. In
the trial, MuGard was shown to be superior to the sham control
saline-bicarbonate rinse in mitigating oral mucositis symptoms
and delaying oral mucositis progression. The article can
be accessed by clicking on the following link:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/enhanced/doi/10.1002/cncr.28553/
Oral Mucositis: Oral mucositis ("OM") is a debilitating
side effect of some radiation and chemotherapy cancer treatments,
characterized by sores and ulcers in the mouth and throat that make
swallowing difficult or impossible. It is estimated that 97% of
patients receiving radiation for head and neck cancer, 70% of
patients receiving stem cell transplantation and up to 40% of
patients receiving conventional chemotherapy develop oral
mucositis. There are an estimated 400,000 patients diagnosed with
OM in the US annually, but OM is often under-diagnosed and the
population at risk is significantly higher.
About MuGard: MuGard® Mucoadhesive Oral
Wound Rinse is indicated for the management of oral
mucositis/stomatitis (that may be caused by radiotherapy and/or
chemotherapy) and all types of oral wounds (mouth sores and
injuries), including aphthous ulcers/canker sores and traumatic
ulcers, such as those caused by oral surgery or ill-fitting
dentures or braces. MuGard is available by prescription only and is
contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to any of
the ingredients in the formulation. MuGard received 510(k)
clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is
marketed by AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in the United States.
MuGard is also licensed in China,
RHEI/Jian An, and in Korea with
Hamni Pharmaceuticals.
About Access: Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an emerging
biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes
proprietary products for the treatment and supportive care of
cancer patients. Access developed MuGard and is developing multiple
follow-on products. Access also has other advanced drug delivery
technologies including CobaCyte™-mediated targeted delivery and
CobOral-oral drug delivery, its proprietary nanopolymer delivery
technology based on the natural vitamin B12 uptake mechanism.
For additional information on Access Pharmaceuticals, please visit
our website at www.accesspharma.com.
This press release contains certain statements that are
forward-looking within the meaning of Section 27a of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, and that involve risks and uncertainties.
These statements include those relating to: our cash burn rate,
clinical trial plans and timelines and clinical results for MuGard
and Cobalamin, our ability to achieve clinical and commercial
success and our ability to successfully develop marketed products.
These statements are subject to numerous risks, including but not
limited to Access' need to obtain additional financing in order to
continue the clinical trial and operations and to the risks
detailed in Access' Annual Reports on Form 10-K and other reports
filed by Access with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Company and Media Contact:
Christine Berni
VP Corporate Development
Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(212) 786-6208
SOURCE Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc.