GLEN ALLEN, Va., June 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Star
Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ: CIGX) announced today that the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office ("PTO") has issued Patent No. 8,207,346
(the "346 patent") to the company's wholly owned subsidiary, Rock
Creek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. This patent covers an improved
method for synthesizing anatabine that facilitates large scale
commercial production of high purity anatabine.
Anatabine citrate is the active ingredient in
Anatabloc®, the dietary supplement manufactured by Rock Creek
Pharmaceuticals that is designed to support the immune system in
maintaining healthy levels of inflammation. As previously
announced, the PTO issued a Notice of Allowance on May 11, 2012 to Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals for
this synthesis process; however, today's issuance marks an official
grant of the patent to the company.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120301/NE62741LOGO
)
This is the second patent issued this year that Star Scientific
owns directly as patentee or has rights to through its exclusive
licensing agreement. On April 10,
2012 the PTO issued Patent No. 8,151,804 (the "804" patent),
covering an improved method for curing tobacco in a manner that
substantially prevents the formation of tobacco specific
nitrosamines. With the addition of the '346 and '804 patents,
Star Scientific now has a portfolio of fourteen U.S. patents and
one U.S. design patent.
Star Scientific is pursuing additional U.S. patent applications
through Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals covering anatabine salts,
dietary formulations containing anatabine, and methods of
administering anatabine for the nutritional management of disorders
associated with unhealthy levels of inflammation.
Certain statements contained in this release constitute
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include,
but are not limited to statements identified by words such as
"believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends,"
"plans," "targets," "projects" and similar expressions. The
statements in this release are based upon the current beliefs and
expectations of our company's management and are subject to
significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from
those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Numerous factors
could cause or contribute to such differences, including, but not
limited to, results of clinical trials, the challenges inherent in
new product development initiatives, including the continued
development and market acceptance of our nutraceutical and low-TSNA
tobacco products, our ability to license and protect our
intellectual property, our ability to raise additional capital in
the future that is necessary to maintain our business, changes in
government policy and/or regulation, including with respect to our
nutraceutical and low-TSNA tobacco products, as well as other risks
discussed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, our annual
report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011. We undertake no duty to update
any forward-looking statement or any information contained in this
press release or in other public disclosures at any time.
About Star Scientific
Star Scientific, Inc. is a technology-oriented company with a
mission to promote maintenance of a healthy metabolism, as well as
to reduce the harm associated with the use of tobacco at every
level. Over the last several years, through its wholly owned
subsidiary, Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals, Star Scientific has been
engaged in the manufacturing, sale, and marketing of two
nutraceutical dietary supplements, and the development of other
nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. The company also has continued
to pursue the development, implementation, and licensing of the
technology behind its proprietary StarCured® tobacco curing
process, which substantially prevents the formation of carcinogenic
toxins present in tobacco and tobacco smoke, primarily the
tobacco-specific nitrosamines, or TSNAs and related low-TSNA
dissolvable tobacco products. Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals has
scientific and research offices in Gloucester, MA, and a regulatory office in
Washington, DC. Star
Scientific has a Corporate and Sales Office in Glen Allen, VA, an Executive, Scientific &
Regulatory Affairs office in Bethesda,
MD, and a manufacturing facility in Chase City, VA.
Contact:
Talhia T. Tuck
Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations
Star Scientific, Inc.
(301) 654-8300
ttuck@starscientific.com
SOURCE Star Scientific, Inc.