“The most significant technological filter
innovation in the last 30 years”
Clarence, New York – 22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE
MKT:XXII), a plant biotechnology company whose primary
mission is to pioneer new technology to reduce the harm caused by
smoking, announced today that it has entered into a supply
arrangement with Celanese Corporation. Through this arrangement,
22nd Century will combine many of its proprietary tobaccos with
Celanese’s revolutionary CelFX® carbon filter in new cigarette
designs for select markets around the world.
The Celanese CelFX® filter is a highly efficient cigarette
filter that delivers an extraordinary taste experience while
significantly reducing certain gaseous toxic compounds in smoke,
including Benzene, Acetaldehyde, Acrylonitrile, Formaldehyde,
1,3-Butadiene and Hydrogen Cyanide. Employing proprietary, patented
technology, the new Celanese CelFX® filter incorporates four times
more activated charcoal than conventional products. The
specially-designed matrix technology in the new Celanese CelFX®
filter provides highly effective filtration that absorbs these
toxic compounds, while also providing full air flow for a smoking
experience that smokers describe as “exceptionally smooth and
rich.”
“As smoke passes through the CelFX® matrix filter, it
significantly reduces these toxic compounds inhaled by smokers,”
explained Henry Sicignano, III, President and Chief Executive
Officer of 22nd Century Group. “Partnering with Celanese and
combining CelFX® filters with our proprietary Very Low Nicotine and
Low-Tar-to-Nicotine tobacco blends is a natural fit and makes our
already outstanding cigarettes even better.”
Perry Aliotti, Celanese CelFX® Platform Global Sales Director,
explained: “CelFX® matrix technology represents the most
significant technological innovation in filters in my 34 years in
the tobacco industry. Incorporating the CelFX® filter technology
allows for superior filtration of these toxic compounds in smoke
compared to any other filter on the market while preserving the
taste and experience provided by the tobacco.” Mr. Aliotti
continued, “Celanese and 22nd Century are proud to work together to
help provide smokers greater choice and options for selectively
reducing certain toxic compounds in smoke.”
22nd Century will have the rights to use the Celanese CelFX®
cigarette filter technology with the Company’s MAGIC, RED SUN, and
MOONLIGHT brands. The addition of Celanese’s CelFX® filters to the
Company’s Very Low Nicotine MAGIC cigarettes fine-tunes MAGIC’s
taste profile and results in a cigarette that is highly attractive
to European smokers. As the Company broadens distribution for MAGIC
from Spain to include Holland, Italy, France, and other European
countries, both MAGIC 0 and MAGIC 2 cigarettes will exclusively use
the Celanese CelFX® filter.
Incorporating Celanese CelFX® technology to cigarettes, however,
does not mean that 22nd Century products incorporating the Celanese
CelFX® filter are safe or without any health risks, or are less
harmful than other tobacco products, or aim to reduce the effect of
some harmful components of smoke, or have any other health or
lifestyle benefits. The words “Very Low Nicotine” and
“Low-Tar-to-Nicotine” will not appear on the products’ labelling or
packaging in the European Union.
The agreement between 22nd Century and Celanese also includes
exclusive rights for 22nd Century to market cigarette tubes
containing Celanese CelFX® filters for Make-Your-Own consumers
around the world. 22nd Century intends to market MAGIC cigarette
tubes with Celanese CelFX® filters in North America, Europe and in
the Asia-Pacific Region. For the near term however, due to
regulatory restrictions on new tobacco products in the United
States, 22nd Century does not intend to utilize Celanese’s CelFX®
filters on finished cigarettes sold in the United States. 22nd
Century products incorporating Celanese’s CelFX® filters have
neither been submitted for FDA approval nor have they received FDA
approval to be marketed in the United States as a modified risk
tobacco product or smoking cessation device.
About 22nd Century Group, Inc.
22nd Century Group is a plant biotechnology company focused on
technology which allows it to increase or decrease the level of
nicotine in tobacco plants and the level of cannabinoids in
cannabis plants through genetic engineering and plant breeding. The
Company’s primary mission is to reduce the harm caused by smoking.
22nd Century currently owns or exclusively controls more than 200
issued patents and more than 50 pending patent applications around
the world. The Company’s strong IP position led to a licensing
agreement with British American Tobacco (“BAT”), the world’s second
largest tobacco company. Visit www.xxiicentury.com,
www.magiccigarettes.com, and www.redsuncigarettes.com for more
information.
About Celanese
Celanese Corporation is a global technology leader in the
production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty
materials used in most major industries and consumer applications.
Our two complementary business cores, Acetyl Chain and Materials
Solutions, use the full breadth of Celanese’s global chemistry,
technology and business expertise to create value for our customers
and the corporation. As we partner with our customers to solve
their most critical business needs, we strive to make a positive
impact on our communities and the world through The Celanese
Foundation. Based in Dallas, Celanese employs approximately 7,000
employees worldwide and had 2015 net sales of $5.7 billion. For
more information about Celanese, visit www.celanese.com or its blog
at www.celaneseblog.com.
All registered trademarks are owned by Celanese International
Corporation or its affiliates.
For more information about Celanese’s CelFX® Matrix Technology,
visit www.celfx.com.
Note: This press release is not intended for publication in
countries which are members of the European Union. To the
extent it is picked up in the EU, it should only be directed to
professionals in the tobacco trade.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press
release contains forward-looking information, including all
statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the
intent, belief or current expectations of 22nd Century Group, Inc.,
its directors or its officers with respect to the contents of this
press release, including but not limited to our future revenue
expectations. The words “may,” “would,” “will,” “expect,”
“estimate,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “intend” and similar
expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify
forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee future results,
levels of activity or performance. You should not place undue
reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as
of the date that they were made. These cautionary statements should
be considered with any written or oral forward-looking statements
that we may issue in the future. Except as required by applicable
law, including the securities laws of the United States, we do not
intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform
these statements to reflect actual results, later events or
circumstances, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated
events. You should carefully review and consider the various
disclosures made by us in our annual report on Form 10-K for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, filed on February 18, 2016,
including the section entitled “Risk Factors,” and our other
reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
which attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors
that may affect our business, financial condition, results of
operation and cash flows. If one or more of these risks or
uncertainties materialize, or if the underlying assumptions prove
incorrect, our actual results may vary materially from those
expected or projected.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160502005331/en/
Investor Relations:IRTH CommunicationsAndrew Haag,
866-976-4784xxii@irthcommunications.comorRedington, Inc.Tom
Redington, 203-222-7399
22nd Century (AMEX:XXII)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2024 to May 2024
22nd Century (AMEX:XXII)
Historical Stock Chart
From May 2023 to May 2024