NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Featured in November/December Issue of PharmaVOICE
Company Executives Offer “Crystal Ball” Predictions. VP of Research Discusses Need for New Approaches in Anti-Infectives.
Emeryville, CA, November 22, 2007 --(PR.com)-- Two NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX & TSX: NBY, http://www.novabaypharma.com) executives, Chairman and CEO Ron Najafi, Ph.D., and VP of Research, Nafsika Georgopapadakou, Ph.D., shared their expert opinions in PharmaVOICE’s “Crystal Ball” feature in the magazine’s November/December issue.
Dr. Georgopapadakou highlighted “Five Anti-Infective Trends” that will impact the pharmaceutical industry for the next fives years, including:
• Increased Frequency of Microbial Multi-Resistance to Commonly Used Antibiotics
According to Dr. Georgopapadakou, this is already happening with multi-resistant Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Dr. Georgopapadakou says that this increased frequency is also increasing with antivirals, such as antiretrovirals for HIV.
• Rapid Dissemination of “Exotic,” Often Opportunistic, Pathogens
Dr. Georgopapadakou reports that we are already seeing outbreaks of Clostridium difficile, A. baumannii, West Nile Virus (WNV), and Chikungunya virus. For many of these diseases, there is no effective treatment, and nothing in sight.
• Continued Paucity of New Antibiotic Classes
According to Dr. Georgopapadakou, this continued paucity might have precipitated the exit of big pharma from infectious disease drug development. Biotech has proved unable to produce new antibiotic classes that are not subject to cross-resistance.
• Increased Emphasis on Infection Control and Prophylaxis
Dr. Georgopapadakou cites the finding that almost one hundred thousand patients die of healthcare-associated infections in the U.S. each year. Because of this there is an increasing emphasis on rigorous control measures. Dr. Georgopapadakou predicts that the wide use of invasive procedures and devices is likely to give prophylaxis equal footing to therapy.
• Emergence of Topical, Non-Antibiotic Anti-Infectives
According to Dr. Georgopapadakou, the trend toward topical anti-infectives for vulnerable sites (eyes, nose, sinuses, ears, urinary bladder, surgical sites, central venues catheter sites) is already happening. This trend is fueled by the realization that extensive use of antibiotics erodes their effectiveness and increases resistance.
Dr. Najafi spoke of what he deemed, “The Edge of the Precipice,” in which it is only a matter of time before the world is faced with a runaway pandemic. Because the pressure of multi-drug resistant infections is increasing, in order to combat these pandemics, Dr. Najafi says, “the pharmaceutical industry will need to develop new approaches. These new approaches should consist of non-antibiotic antimicrobials, so as not to risk creating resistant species.”
A PDF of the article of its entirety can be found here:
http://www.knowledgeshareforums.com/PDFs/pv-1107/PV1107_CrystalBall.pdf
About NovaBay
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative product candidates targeting the treatment or prevention of a wide range of infections in hospital and non-hospital environments. NovaBay has discovered and is developing a class of non-antibiotic anti-infective compounds, which it has named Aganocide compounds, which are based upon small molecules that are generated by white blood cells that defend the body against invading pathogens. NovaBay believes that Aganocide compounds could form a platform on which to create a variety of products to address differing needs in the treatment and prevention of bacterial and viral infections, including Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). NovaBay has entered into a licensing and research collaboration agreement with an affiliate of Alcon, Inc. for use of the Aganocide compounds in the eye, ear and sinus and in contact lens solutions and a license agreement with an affiliate of Kinetic Concepts, Inc. for the use of NovaBay’s NeutroPhase product in woundcare applications.
NovaBay(TM), Aganocide(TM) and NeutroPhase(TM) are trademarks of NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
For more information visit the Company’s website at www.novabaypharma.com
Forward Looking Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements, which are based upon management’s current expectations, assumptions, estimates, projections and beliefs. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the role of IRG and the development and potential benefits of, and the market opportunities for, NovaBay’s product candidates. 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 discovery, development, testing, 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. 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.
Contact
Investor Relations:
The Investor Relations Group
Adam Holdsworth / Rachel Colgate / Erica Ruderman
212-825-3210
Or
Media Relations:
Janet Vasquez / Susan Morgenbesser
212-825-3210
###
Dr. Georgopapadakou highlighted “Five Anti-Infective Trends” that will impact the pharmaceutical industry for the next fives years, including:
• Increased Frequency of Microbial Multi-Resistance to Commonly Used Antibiotics
According to Dr. Georgopapadakou, this is already happening with multi-resistant Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Dr. Georgopapadakou says that this increased frequency is also increasing with antivirals, such as antiretrovirals for HIV.
• Rapid Dissemination of “Exotic,” Often Opportunistic, Pathogens
Dr. Georgopapadakou reports that we are already seeing outbreaks of Clostridium difficile, A. baumannii, West Nile Virus (WNV), and Chikungunya virus. For many of these diseases, there is no effective treatment, and nothing in sight.
• Continued Paucity of New Antibiotic Classes
According to Dr. Georgopapadakou, this continued paucity might have precipitated the exit of big pharma from infectious disease drug development. Biotech has proved unable to produce new antibiotic classes that are not subject to cross-resistance.
• Increased Emphasis on Infection Control and Prophylaxis
Dr. Georgopapadakou cites the finding that almost one hundred thousand patients die of healthcare-associated infections in the U.S. each year. Because of this there is an increasing emphasis on rigorous control measures. Dr. Georgopapadakou predicts that the wide use of invasive procedures and devices is likely to give prophylaxis equal footing to therapy.
• Emergence of Topical, Non-Antibiotic Anti-Infectives
According to Dr. Georgopapadakou, the trend toward topical anti-infectives for vulnerable sites (eyes, nose, sinuses, ears, urinary bladder, surgical sites, central venues catheter sites) is already happening. This trend is fueled by the realization that extensive use of antibiotics erodes their effectiveness and increases resistance.
Dr. Najafi spoke of what he deemed, “The Edge of the Precipice,” in which it is only a matter of time before the world is faced with a runaway pandemic. Because the pressure of multi-drug resistant infections is increasing, in order to combat these pandemics, Dr. Najafi says, “the pharmaceutical industry will need to develop new approaches. These new approaches should consist of non-antibiotic antimicrobials, so as not to risk creating resistant species.”
A PDF of the article of its entirety can be found here:
http://www.knowledgeshareforums.com/PDFs/pv-1107/PV1107_CrystalBall.pdf
About NovaBay
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative product candidates targeting the treatment or prevention of a wide range of infections in hospital and non-hospital environments. NovaBay has discovered and is developing a class of non-antibiotic anti-infective compounds, which it has named Aganocide compounds, which are based upon small molecules that are generated by white blood cells that defend the body against invading pathogens. NovaBay believes that Aganocide compounds could form a platform on which to create a variety of products to address differing needs in the treatment and prevention of bacterial and viral infections, including Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). NovaBay has entered into a licensing and research collaboration agreement with an affiliate of Alcon, Inc. for use of the Aganocide compounds in the eye, ear and sinus and in contact lens solutions and a license agreement with an affiliate of Kinetic Concepts, Inc. for the use of NovaBay’s NeutroPhase product in woundcare applications.
NovaBay(TM), Aganocide(TM) and NeutroPhase(TM) are trademarks of NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
For more information visit the Company’s website at www.novabaypharma.com
Forward Looking Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements, which are based upon management’s current expectations, assumptions, estimates, projections and beliefs. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the role of IRG and the development and potential benefits of, and the market opportunities for, NovaBay’s product candidates. 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 discovery, development, testing, 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. 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.
Contact
Investor Relations:
The Investor Relations Group
Adam Holdsworth / Rachel Colgate / Erica Ruderman
212-825-3210
Or
Media Relations:
Janet Vasquez / Susan Morgenbesser
212-825-3210
###
Contact
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Janet Vasquez
212-825-3210
www.novabaypharma.com
Janet Vasquez
212-825-3210
www.novabaypharma.com
Contact
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