Access Pharmaceuticals Provides Update on MuGard Commercial Launch and First European Clinicians Feedback
15 October 2009 - 11:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
European Launch On Target - Initial Clinician And Patient Feedback
Very Positive DALLAS, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ACCESS
PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (OTC:ACCP) (BULLETIN BOARD: ACCP) today
provided an update on its European commercial launch of MuGard, an
FDA approved treatment for oral mucositis, a debilitating side
effect of radiation treatment and chemotherapy. MuGard is
commercially launched by Access' partner, SpePharm, in five
European countries, having been granted the CE mak certification in
October 2008 with the labeling "prevention and management of the
lesions and symptoms of oral mucositis." SpePharm is currently
gathering feedback from clinicians in the UK, Germany and Italy
that are participating in a patient assessment project. SpePharm
expects that out of a total of approximately 1500 to 2000 patients
who will be assessed in this project, a subset of patient forms
will be collected by year end, and aggregated clinician and patient
feedback will continue to be available on a rolling basis during
the fourth quarter 2009 and 2010. Introduction of MuGard into
France, Central and Eastern Europe, the Benelux countries and the
rest of Europe is anticipated over the next 12 to 18 months.
"SpePharm is very pleased with the commercial launch of MuGard thus
far, and I am happy to report that initial clinician and patient
feedback has been very positive," stated Jean-Francois Labbe,
SpePharm's President & CEO. "Our intention is to continue to
gather clinician and patient feedback, and use this information to
expand our presence throughout Europe. MuGard faces limited
competition in Europe as traditional palliative solutions offer
limited efficacy and/or poor compliance." "As Access prepares for
the MuGard commercial launch in North America, we look forward to
close cooperation with our European partner particularly with
respect to planned market assessments studies here in the US,"
stated Jeffrey Davis, Access' President & CEO. "We hope to be
able to leverage SpePharm's early experiences around its launch in
Europe to jump start our efforts here throughout the remainder of
the year and into 2010. Access' recently announced agreements with
Accupac in manufacturing and iMedicor with e-marketing and
education reflect our commitment to the MuGard launch." MuGard is a
novel, ready-to-use mucoadhesive oral wound rinse for the
management of oral mucositis, a debilitating side effect of many
anticancer treatments. Up to 80% of all patients receiving
radiotherapy and approximately 40% of all chemotherapy patients
develop oral mucositis, and almost all patients receiving
radiotherapy for head and neck cancer and those undergoing stem
cell transplantation develop mucositis. The market for the
treatment of oral mucositis, expanding to include all patients
undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, is estimated to be in
excess of $5 billion world-wide. MuGard forms a protective coating
over the oral mucosa when swirled gently around the mouth. In a
comparison of cancer patients receiving standard mucositis care
with those patients receiving MuGard, the incidence and severity of
mucositis was significantly lower in the MuGard treated group using
a validated scale for the assessment of oral mucositis. About
Access: Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is an emerging
biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes
propriety products for the treatment and supportive care of cancer
patients. Access' products include ProLindac(TM), currently in
Phase 2 clinical testing of patients with ovarian cancer, and
MuGard(TM) for the management of patients with mucositis. The
company also has other advanced drug delivery technologies
including Cobalamin(TM)-mediated targeted delivery and oral drug
delivery, its proprietary nanopolymer delivery technology based on
the natural vitamin B12 uptake mechanism; Angiolix®, a humanized
monoclonal antibody which acts as an anti-angiogenesis factor and
is targeted to breast cancer; and Thiarabine, a new generation
nucleoside analog which has demonstrated both pre-clinical and
clinical activity in certain cancers. For additional information on
Access Pharmaceuticals, please visit our website at
http://www.accesspharma.com/. This press release contains certain
statements that are forward-looking within the meaning of Section
27a of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and that involve
risks and uncertainties. These statements include those relating
to: clinical trial plans and timelines and clinical results for
ProLindac and product candidates acquired in the MacroChem
transaction, our ability to execute licensing agreements in the
future, Access' plans to continue and initiate clinical trials, the
value of its products in the market (including MuGard and the size
of the overall market for mucositis products), its ability to
achieve clinical and commercial success and its ability to
successfully develop marketed products. These statements are
subject to numerous risks, including but not limited Access' need
to obtain additional financing in order to continue the clinical
trial and operations and to the risks detailed in Access' Annual
Reports on Form 10-K and other reports filed by Access with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Contact: Company Contact:
Investor Relations Stephen B. Thompson Donald C. Weinberger/Diana
Bittner (media) Vice President, Wolfe Axelrod Weinberger Assoc. LLC
Chief Financial Officer (212) 370-4500 Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(214) 905-5100 DATASOURCE: Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc. CONTACT:
Stephen B. Thompson, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of
Access Pharmaceuticals, Inc., +1-214-905-5100; or Investor
Relations, Donald C. Weinberger or Diana Bittner (media), both of
Wolfe Axelrod Weinberger Assoc. LLC, +1-212-370-4500, for Access
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Web Site: http://www.accesspharma.com/
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