Dr. Crew Describes How His Breakthrough Treatment Using NeutroPhase is Saving the Lives and Limbs of Patients With Deadly 'Flesh-eating Disease'
EMERYVILLE, Calif., Feb. 6, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NovaBay® Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE MKT:NBY), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing topical non-antibiotic anti-microbial products, today announced that Dr. John R. Crew, MD,FACS, Vascular Surgeon, Medical Director, Advanced Wound Care Center, Seton Medical Center in Daly City, California, will explain to medical staff at Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Springs, California, how NeutroPhase®* wound cleanser can help manage the severely-infected wounds of patients with life-threatening 'flesh-eating' disease. NeutroPhase is a 0.01% pure hypochlorous acid in saline with no bleach impurities, unlike Dakin and other Dakin-like solutions.
"My experience shows that NeutroPhase offers a significant improvement in the care of many wounds—especially those caused by dangerous flesh-eating disease," said Dr. Crew. "I'm pleased to be invited to Eisenhower Medical Center to describe to other doctors what I believe should become a new standard of care."
In a recent paper in the journal WOUNDS, Dr. Crew described a case of a woman who was brought to Seton Medical Center in Daly City, California, in toxic shock, with her blood pressure too low to be read, because of flesh-eating disease (or necrotizing fasciitis) in her arm. Dr. Crew irrigated her wound with NovaBay's NeutroPhase in conjunction with a vacuum technique called "Crew-NovaBay Minimally Invasive Surgery for Necrotizing Fasciitis." The procedure arrested the tissue decay and allowed the wound to heal, saving the woman's arm—and her life. The new study by Dr. Crew and colleagues showed that NeutroPhase irrigation therapy and the Crew-NovaBay treatment can be used for severe wound conditions.
In the paper and in his Eisenhower Medical Center presentation, Dr. Crew also described how NeutroPhase works. In extensive in vitro testing, NeutroPhase kills bacteria in seconds and has the ability to neutralize toxins generated by flesh-eating bacteria. NovaBay found a way to make pure HOCl in saline a 24-monthshelf-stable product.
"We have been using NeutroPhase at Eisenhower for over a year with positive results in a wide variety of wound conditions, including those involving flesh-eating bacteria," said Dr. Anibal Gauto, Medical Director of the facility's Wound Care Center. "Dr. Crew's presentation will be very helpful for doctors and nurses at our medical center to learn about his pioneering work in this important area and the procedures that could be used to make the use of NeutroPhase even more effective."
The presentation at Eisenhower is part of a concerted effort by Dr. Crew and NovaBay to inform other wound care experts about the benefits of using NeutroPhase. "As evidenced by the successful results achieved by Drs. Gauto and Crew, we believe that Crew-NovaBay Minimally Invasive Surgery for Necrotizing Fasciitis Using Adjunct NeutroPhase Therapy has the potential to continue to save lives and limbs. We are very grateful for their support in spreading this news throughout the wound care medical community," said Dr. Ron Najafi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NovaBay.
Dr. Crew's presentation at Eisenhower Medical Center will take place on February 6, 2014.
About NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Going Beyond Antibiotics®
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing topical non-antibiotic antimicrobial products.
*About NeutroPhase®
NeutroPhase® is a 510(k)-cleared wound cleanser and is intended for use under the supervision of healthcare professionals for cleansing and removal of foreign material, including: microorganisms and debris from wounds; cleaning minor cuts, minor burns, superficial abrasions, and minor irritations of the skin; as well as moistening absorbent wound dressings. It is also intended for moistening and debriding acute and chronic dermal lesions, such as: Stage I-IV pressure ulcers, stasis ulcers, leg ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, post surgical wounds, first and second degree burns, as well as grafted and donor sites.
NeutroPhase is a 0.01% pure hypochlorous acid in saline (with no bleach impurities, which is often present in Dakin and Dakin-like solution). In in vitro laboratory models, NeutroPhase has shown to be fast-acting against bacteria, biofilm and toxins. Statements regarding necrotizing fasciitis and flesh-eating bacteria have not been reviewed by the FDA. More information on NeutroPhase and how to purchase it at: www.neutrophase.com.
Forward-looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements and opinions, which are based upon management's current expectations, assumptions, estimates, projections and beliefs. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the general use of antibiotics in the United States and NovaBay's possible effect on that use. The words "potentially," "think" and "believe" are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or achievements to be materially different and adverse from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to difficulties or delays in development, clinical trial, regulatory approval, production and marketing of the company's product candidates, unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate therapeutic efficacy of the product candidates, the uncertainty of patent protection for the company's intellectual property or trade secrets, the company's ability to obtain additional financing as necessary and unanticipated research and development and other costs. Other risks relating to NovaBay, including risks that could cause results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements in this press release, are detailed in NovaBay's latest Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, especially under the heading "Risk Factors." The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of this date, and NovaBay disclaims any intent or obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement except as required by law.
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| NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Contacts |
| Thomas J. Paulson |
| Chief Financial Officer |
| 510-899-8809 |
| Contact T. Paulson |
| Ana Kapor |
| Director, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications |
| NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
| 510-899-8889 |
| Contact A. Kapor |