SAN CARLOS, Calif., May 7, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Nektar Therapeutics (Nasdaq: NKTR) today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued Patent No. 7,368,102, which covers compositions and methods for creating and delivering Tobramycin Inhalation Powder (TIP) and other aminoglycoside antibiotics delivered via Nektar's proprietary Dry Powder Inhaled Technology. This patent extends through the year 2022.
TIP is being co-developed by Nektar and Novartis and is currently in Phase 3 development for the prevention and treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia. Cystic fibrosis patients are susceptible to chronic infection by P. aeruginosa, which is responsible for high rates of illness and death in this patient population. Nektar's Dry Powder Inhaled Technology has the capability to administer high local lung concentrations of TIP that may provide significant benefits to patients suffering from this debilitating disease.
"Issuance of this patent further demonstrates the power of Nektar's pulmonary technology platform, as well as our industry leadership in the emerging field of targeted anti-infective therapeutics," said Nektar President and Chief Executive officer, Howard W. Robin. "Nektar will continue to aggressively file patents to ensure that the company remains at the forefront of our fields."
About Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease. About 30,000 people in the United States and about 70,000 people worldwide have CF. Patients with CF have abnormal movement of salt in and out of the cells lining their lungs, which leads to secretion of thick, sticky mucus that supports bacteria growth. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common bacterium causing lung infections in people with CF. By the age of 17, nearly 70 percent of people with CF have Pseudomonas aeruginosa in their lungs. Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections cause lung inflammation and -- through cycles of inflammation, obstruction and infection -- deterioration of lung function, at an estimated average rate of 1.4 percent to 4 percent per year. Treatment of CF lung disease is aimed at controlling infection, reducing lung obstruction and decreasing inflammation.
About Nektar
Nektar Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and enables differentiated therapeutics with its industry-leading PEGylation and pulmonary drug development technology platforms. Nektar applies its PEGylation and pulmonary technology platforms to existing medicines with the objective to enhance performance, such as improving efficacy, safety and compliance.
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the potential of dry powder inhaled tobramycin, Nektar's intellectual property position on dry powder inhaled tobramycin and compositions of other aminoglycoside antibiotics, and Nektar's technology platforms and business. These forward-looking statements involve important risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to: (i) Nektar's actual revenue from inhaled tobramycin will depend on Novartis's sales of inhaled tobramycin, (ii) Nektar and its partners' efforts to develop product candidates based on its technology platforms is subject to numerous scientific, clinical and regulatory risks and the risk of failure is high and can unexpectedly occur at any stage, (iii) dry powder inhaled tobramycin is not yet an approved drug and therefore there are numerous risks and uncertainties related to completing clinical development and obtaining regulatory approval to market any drug candidate, and (iv) other of Nektar's patent applications may fail to issue; patents that have issued may not be enforceable; or unanticipated intellectual property licenses from third parties may be required in the future. Other important risks and uncertainties are detailed in the Nektar's reports and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K. Actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Nektar undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Contacts:
Tim Warner (650) 283-4915 or twarner@nektar.com
Stephan Herrera (415) 488-7699 or sherrera@nektar.com
Jennifer Ruddock (650) 631-4954 or jruddock@nektar.com
SOURCE Nektar Therapeutics
http://www.nektar.com
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