SAN DIEGO, Oct. 13, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apricus Biosciences, Inc. ("Apricus Bio" or the "Company") (Nasdaq:APRI) (http://www.apricusbio.com) announced today the publication of an article in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Pharmaceutics, entitled, "Transdermal and Transbuccal Drug Delivery Systems: Enhancement Using Iontophoretic and Chemical Approaches," which confirms the Company's NexACT® technology (DDAIP.HCL) to be the most effective chemical enhancer among three used in a study for the transbuccal delivery of lidocaine HCL ("LHCL"), Nicotine hydrogen tartrate ("NHT"), as well as for the transdermal delivery of diltiazem HCl ("DHCI").
The article appears in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics' on-line version of its November 2011 issue. The new data discussed is based on research conducted by, and at, the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, in Piscataway, NJ. The abstract is available and can be accessed at the following site: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037851731100874X
In the article, the effects of iontophoresis, the use of a local electric current to introduce the ions of a drug into the tissues, and a number of chemical enhancers such as the Company's NexACT® (DDAIP.HCI) technology on the transbuccal and transdermal delivery of three drugs LHCI, NHT and DHCI was evaluated on porcine skin and buccal tissues in vitro. Specifically, the article highlights the ability of the NexACT® technology to act as an effective enhancer for the transbuccal delivery of two drugs, LHCI and NHT, and the transdermal delivery of DHCI. The combination of iontophoresis and the NexACT® technology provided the best overall results for all three drugs and, as a result, this combined technology may provide new and more effective treatment approaches upon future research into this area.
Dr. Bassam Damaj, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Apricus Bio, noted, "We are very pleased with the success of our NexACT® technology when utilized by independent research labs, and, in particular, by this additional, promising data showing the effectiveness of our NexACT® technology primarily for the transbuccal delivery of the drugs studied. The data lends more support to previous work done by both Apricus Bio, as well as other independent research labs, related to the ability of our proprietary NexACT® drug delivery technology to effectively deliver drugs via the buccal route, and continues to illustrate a higher penetration rate than that achieved by currently used chemical enhancers."
About the NexACT® Technology
NexACT® utilizes biodegradable excipients, that when incorporated into drug formulations, has demonstrated the ability to help overcome the body's natural barrier properties and thereby enable rapid penetration of higher concentrations of active drug directly through the skin and major biological membranes, resulting in more effective delivery of therapies. Varying the concentration of the enhancer allows for local or systemic delivery of active drug, as desired. NexACT® has shown in studies to efficiently enable the delivery of drugs across different classes and over a wide range of indications via transdermal, oral, subcutaneous, rectal and buccal routes of administration.
About Apricus Biosciences, Inc.
Apricus Bio, a San Diego-based, revenue-generating, biopharmaceutical company, has leveraged the flexibility of its clinically-validated NexACT® drug delivery technology to enable multi-route administration of new and improved compounds across numerous therapeutic classes.
Revenues and growth are driven from out-licensing of this technology for the development and commercialization of such compounds to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide. In addition, the Company is seeking to monetize its existing Rx Division product pipeline, including its first product, Vitaros®, approved in Canada for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, which is currently expected to be available on the Canadian market in 2011, as well as compounds in development from pre-clinical through Phase III, currently focused on Sexual Dysfunction, Oncology, Dermatology, Autoimmune, Pain, Anti-Infectives, Diabetes and Cosmeceuticals among others.
The Company is also developing its Consumer Healthcare Division by developing a number of drugs that utilize the Company's NexACT® technology to comply with the FDA's over-the-counter ("OTC") requirements, be cleared as 510(k) topical creams that are considered to be medical devices or approved as Abbreviated New Drug Applications ("ANDAs") as generic drugs. The Company will also seek to market such drugs through these similar procedures in foreign countries.
For further information on Apricus Bio, visit http://www.apricusbio.com and for information on its subsidiary please visit www.nexmedusa.com. Information may also be found at http://twitter.com/apricusbio, and http://facebook.com/apricusbio.
Apricus Bio's Forward-Looking Statement Safe Harbor
Statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, as amended: with the exception of the historical information contained in this release, the matters described herein contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that may individually or mutually impact the matters herein described for a variety of reasons that are outside the control of the Company, including, but not limited to, its ability to conduct or part with other companies to conduct research that demonstrates the effectiveness of its NexACT® drug delivery technology to enhance the delivery of drugs through various routes of administration such as transdermal, transbuccal among others, its ability to receive issued patents on its NexACT® technology and products, develop such patented technology into product candidates, have its Rx Division products and product candidates approved by relevant regulatory authorities and its Consumer Healthcare Division products either approved or cleared by relevant regulatory authorities or be in compliance with appropriate regulatory requirements, to successfully manufacture and commercialize such Rx Division products along with its Consumer Healthcare Division products and product candidates and to achieve its other development, commercialization and financial goals. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein. Readers are urged to read the risk factors set forth in the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q and other filings made with the SEC. Copies of these reports are available from the SEC's website or without charge from the Company.