SAN DIEGO, May 18, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apricus Biosciences, Inc. ("Apricus Bio") (Nasdaq:APRI) ( http://www.apricusbio.com ) announced today that Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Bassam Damaj, was recently interviewed by CDTV.net, a New York-based financial network ( www.cdtv.net ). The interview is available at .
In the interview, Dr. Damaj reported on a range of corporate activities and drugs in the company's pipeline, including Apricus Bio's plans for the commercialization of Vitaros®, a topical treatment for erectile dysfunction, in markets outside of the U.S., including Canada and Europe. Dr. Damaj noted that Apricus Bio has received approval to market Vitaros® in Canada and is proceeding with manufacturing of the drug. The Company plans to have Vitaros® available to patients in Canada in the second half of 2011, Damaj said.
Like other drugs in Apricus Bio's pipeline, Vitaros® uses the company's patented NexACT® technology that allows permeation and enhances the absorption of a drug through the skin. The active ingredient in Vitaros® is alprostadil.
Dr. Damaj also updated progress on Apricus Bio's Femprox®. Femprox® is a treatment for female sexual arousal disorder ("FSAD"). Apricus Bio owns the worldwide rights to Femprox®, a combination of alprostadil and DDAIP. To date, the Company has completed one Phase II trial in the United States and one Phase III study in close to 400 women in China, which achieved a statistical 44% positive response rate as compared to a placebo.
Dr. Damaj also noted the formation of a Male and Female Sexual Dysfunction Clinical Advisory Board ("Sexual Dysfunction Clinical Advisory Board") as a key step to further the clinical development of Femprox® for FSAD.
Reporting on other drugs in Apricus Bio's pipeline, Dr. Damaj discussed MycoVa® , which combines an existing, approved drug for onychomycosis (nail fungus), terbinafine, with NexACT® technology that enhances the absorption of the drug through the skin. In January 2011, the Company announced that an additional analysis showed that MycoVa® is as effective for the treatment of nail fungus as the current European standard of care for topical therapy.
In addition, Dr. Damaj discussed two other drugs in Apricus Bio's pipeline: PrevOnco™, a treatment for hepatocellular liver carcinoma, a disease with only limited treatment options at present, and RayVa™ for Raynaud's phenomenon. Raynaud's phenomenon refers to a disorder in which the fingers or toes (digits) suddenly experience decreased blood circulation, and is characterized by color changes of the skin of the digits upon exposure to cold or emotional stress.
About Apricus Biosciences, Inc.
Apricus Bio, a San Diego based revenue-generating pharmaceutical company, has leveraged the flexibility of its clinically-validated NexACT® drug delivery technology to enable multi-route administration of new and improved compounds across numerous therapeutic classes.
Revenues and growth are driven from out-licensing of this technology for the development and commercialization of such compounds to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide. In addition, the Company is seeking to monetize its existing product pipeline, including its first product, Vitaros®, approved in Canada for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, which is currently expected to be available on the Canadian market in 2011, as well as compounds in development from pre-clinical through Phase III, currently focused on Sexual Dysfunction, Oncology, Dermatology, Autoimmune, Pain, Anti-Infectives, Diabetes and Cosmeceuticals among others.
For further information on Apricus Bio, visit and for information on its subsidiaries please visit or . You can also receive information at and .
Apricus Bio's Forward-Looking Statement Safe Harbor
Statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act, as amended: with the exception of the historical information contained in this release, the matters described herein contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that may individually or mutually impact the matters herein described for a variety of reasons that are outside the control of the Company, including, but not limited to, its ability to further development products and product candidates such as Vitaros®, Femprox®, MycoVa™, PrevOnco™ and RayVa™, to successfully commercialize such products and product candidates and to achieve its other development, commercialization and financial goals. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as actual results could differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein. Readers are urged to read the risk factors set forth in the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q and other filings made with the SEC. Copies of these reports are available from the SEC's website or without charge from the Company.
CONTACT: Apricus Biosciences, Inc. Edward Cox, V.P. Investor Relations & Corporate Development, Apricus Bio, Inc. (858) 848-4249 ecox@apricusbio.com Apricus Bio Investor Relations Paula Schwartz Rx Communications Group, LLC (917) 322-2216 pschwartz@rxir.com
