AMEDICA ANNOUNCES FILING OF KEY PATENT APPLICATION RELATING TO THE ANTI-VIRAL EFFECT OF ITS SILICON NITRIDE
September 10 2018 - 9:00AM
Amedica Corporation (NASDAQ: AMDA), a company that develops and
commercializes silicon nitride for biomedical applications, today
announced the filing of a U.S. patent application for breakthrough
research findings that have identified a new property of its
proprietary silicon nitride.
Amedica investigators led by Dr. Giuseppe
Pezzotti, a professor at the Kyoto Institute of Technology (Japan)
and consultant to Amedica Corporation, have developed micromeritic
silicon nitride powders as well as bulk surfaces that are effective
against several strains of commonly prevalent viruses - including
Influenza A virus (H1N1), the virus responsible for the 2009 flu
pandemic. The research has also identified the surface chemical
properties of silicon nitride that contribute to the observed
virucidal effect.
The mechanism, known as alkaline
transesterification, is known to cause genomic cleavage in active
viruses leading to their inactivation and lysis. The investigation
employed a commonly accepted assay of measuring mammalian cell
viability in the presence of high concentrations of virus
particles. In the case of Influenza A virus, a 5-minute exposure to
Amedica’s silicon nitride either at room temperature or at 4oC was
enough to result in complete virus lysis and inactivation such that
100% of the exposed cells survived. In an identical parallel test
conducted without silicon nitride, the virus remained intact and
was able to infect and destroy exposed cells. Silicon nitride
proved to be an effective disinfectant of the virus thus providing
a protective effect to cells exposed to the virus.
“These unexpected results are of course entirely
welcome, and the remarkable discovery opens new frontiers in our
evolving understanding of silicon nitride as a biomaterial and in
practical applications of it,” said Dr. B. Sonny Bal, Chairman and
CEO of Amedica Corporation. “The discovery is particularly timely
given our recent divestment of the retail spine business to CTL
Medical and our transition to an OEM manufacturer and biomaterials
company.”
“From the standpoint of spine surgery, the
antiviral properties of silicon nitride implants probably have
little consequence since viral infections of implanted biomaterials
are not a practical problem. On the other hand, systemic viral
infections and their spread through contaminated surfaces are a
global concern. Drug treatments of established Influenza A
infections, such as Tamiflu, are effective only in controlling
symptoms by reducing viral load and the virus can still mutate to
newly resistant, dangerous strains. The control of viral
propagation by surface sanitization is therefore of worldwide
interest; witness the hand sanitizers and other protections used
commonly during the flu season. Surface sanitization destroys the
virus itself, and commonly-used methods rely on ammonia, alcohol,
silicon nanoparticles, and certain pH conditions to inactivate
virus particles.”
“The latest findings show the above-surface
conditions for viral disinfection are already manifest on Amedica’s
silicon nitride whether the material is studied in bulk form or as
a micron-layer coating on other surfaces. This property is a
powerful advantage toward safe and reliable methods for viral
inactivation and elimination. This fortuitous, intrinsic anti-viral
effect of Amedica’s silicon nitride has broad applications in
health care, from medical therapies to various medical devices and
equipment such as examination tables, clothing, filters, masks,
gloves, catheters, endoscopic instruments, and well beyond.”
“Previous data, supported by clinical studies,
have established that Amedica’s silicon nitride enhances
osteogenesis while resisting bacterial adhesion; both highly
desirable properties in spinal fusion implants. Now, the material
appears to be equally effective against the world’s most common
pathogens, i.e., viruses that are responsible for a number of
diseases and their global spread. Going forward, we will seek
commercial applications and partnerships that can leverage the
unique antiviral behavior of silicon nitride, a property that, to
our knowledge, is not present in any other biomaterial known in the
world today.”
Further to today’s announcement, Amedica will
host a conference call on September 13, 2018 to discuss the
agreement with CTL Medical and to provide a business update.
Details related to this call will be provided at a later date.
Amedica is an innovative biomaterials and OEM
company that develops and commercializes silicon nitride for
various biomedical applications including orthopedic, dental and
arthroplasty.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 (“PSLRA”) that are subject to a number of risks
and uncertainties, including without limitation the risks
associated with generating data to support the patent application
for the technology and of obtaining a patent that provides
commercially significant protection for this technology; the risk
that the technology may infringe the proprietary rights of third
parties. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on
which they are made and reflect management’s current estimates,
projections, expectations and beliefs. A discussion of those risks
and uncertainties can be found in Amedica's Risk Factors disclosure
in its Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 29, 2018, and in Amedica's other
filings with the SEC. Amedica disclaims any obligation to update
any forward-looking statements. Amedica undertakes no obligation to
publicly revise or update the forward-looking statements to reflect
events or circumstances that arise after the date of this
report.
Contacts:
Amedica IR
801-839-3502
IR@amedica.com
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