IMI announces three new skin sterol patents
22 June 2005 - 12:01AM
PR Newswire (US)
IMI announces three new skin sterol patents TORONTO, June 21
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Leading predictive medicine company IMI
International Medical Innovations Inc. (TSX: IMI; Amex: IME) today
announced it has been awarded three new patents related to PREVU(x)
Skin Sterol Test, the company's non-invasive, predictive test for
cardiovascular disease. A patent titled Multilayer Analytical
Element, which describes a "thin film" that could lead to new
film-based techniques for determining the amount of cholesterol in
skin tissues, was granted in Mexico. This patent has been granted
in the United States, Canada, Europe, China, Australia and Korea,
and is pending in Japan and Brazil. Additionally, a patent titled
Method of Determining Skin Tissue Cholesterol, which describes an
alternative method of using reagents for the measurement of
cholesterol on the skin surface, was allowed in Canada and Japan.
This patent has been granted in the United States and is pending in
Europe. "These latest patents further protect our skin sterol
technology and bolster our intellectual property portfolio
internationally," said Dr. Brent Norton, President and Chief
Executive Officer. "Our strategy is to control and develop all
relevant technologies that could be applied to skin sterol, which
ensures that we can continue to build upon this innovative product
line." IMI maintains a diverse portfolio of intellectual property,
such as trademarks, trade secrets, and technological know-how.
IMI's intellectual property portfolio currently includes 36 issued
patents and patents pending related to the skin sterol technology,
23 patents and patents pending related to IMI's cancer technologies
and nine patents and patents pending related to the color
measurement process. About IMI IMI is a world leader in predictive
medicine, dedicated to developing rapid, non-invasive tests for the
early detection of life-threatening diseases. IMI's cardiovascular
products, which are branded as PREVU(x) Skin Sterol Test, are
marketed and distributed worldwide by McNeil Consumer Healthcare,
Canada. The company's cancer tests include ColorectAlert(TM),
LungAlert(TM) and a breast cancer test. IMI's head office is
located in Toronto, and its research and product development
facility is at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. For
further information, please visit http://www.imimedical.com/. For
more information about PREVU(x), please visit
http://www.prevu.com/. Corporate Name Change In September 2005, IMI
will change its corporate name to PreMD Inc. to better reflect the
company's leading position in the predictive medicine field. The
new website will be http://www.premdinc.com/. This press release
contains forward-looking statements. These statements involve known
and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause the
Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward- looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include,
among others, the successful development or marketing of the
Company's products, the competitiveness of the Company's products
if successfully commercialized, the lack of operating profit and
availability of funds and resources to pursue R&D projects, the
successful and timely completion of clinical studies, product
liability, reliance on third-party manufacturers, the ability of
the Company to take advantage of business opportunities,
uncertainties related to the regulatory process, the inability of
the Company to change its name to PreMD Inc. in the time projected
due to any reason, and general changes in economic conditions. In
addition, while the Company routinely obtains patents for its
products and technology, the protection offered by the Company's
patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or
circumvented by our competitors and there can be no guarantee of
our ability to obtain or maintain patent protection for our
products or product candidates. Investors should consult the
Company's quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian and U.S.
securities commissions for additional information on risks and
uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements. Investors
are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. IMI
is providing this information as of the date of this press release
and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking
statements contained in this press release as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise. DATASOURCE: IMI
International Medical Innovations Inc. CONTACT: Company Contact:
Sarah Borg-Olivier, Director, Communications, T: (416) 222-3449, ;
U.S. Investor Contact: Andrea Faville, John Nesbett, The Investor
Relations Group, T: (212) 825-3210, ,
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