Release issued 12th February 2002

The Italian privately owned multinational Company Zambon Group and the Swiss based Drug Delivery Company APR Applied Pharma Research s.a. have signed an international license agreement for the further development, registration and marketing of innovative patented products in matrix patch form originally developed in Partnership by APR and the German R&D Company Labtec GmbH specialized in transdermal drug delivery systems.

According to the agreement, Zambon will retain marketing rights for certain territories for 2 consumer friendly products: Ketoprofen Patch and Cold Fleece Patch; the agreement is based on Up front as well as Milestone Payments according to the development steps achieved by APR plus royalties on sales: anyway, financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.

The acquisition is part of the strategic goal of Zambon to develop and market "user fiendly" products that can improve patient satisfaction and strengthen Zambon presence both in the pharmacy and in the traditional promotion of ethical products to the medical community.

At the same time this Agreement represents a valuable step forward for either APR and Labtec in pursuing their strategic goals in the joint development and licensing of innovative Drug Delivery Systems as well as "Value Added" or "Generic Plus" products incorporating known compounds and indicated for well established markets in which lack of innovation is of evidence. The APR/Labtec Partnership is focused in funding and financing the development of innovative products incorporating the Drug Delivery Systems available either at Labtec or APR in order to add value to the platform technologies available through the advanced development of selected candidates to be licensed out to the pharmaceutical companies for promotion and marketing.

Ketoprofen Patch is a high tech, textile matrix patch for the local release of Ketoprofen with the advantage of reducing consumer discomfort in comparison with available topical preparations in gel or cream form. The clinical programme has the aim of proving its effectiveness upon once a day application. Ketoprofen Patch is indicated for Traumatic Injuries (e.g. sport injuries, strains, sprains, etc.) and Extra- Articular Rheumatisms (e.g.: tendinitis, epycondilitis, etc). Pilot clinical trials showed excellent, unexpected and very promising results.

Cold Fleece Patch represents a unique device for the relief of the symthoms of the common cold. The adhesive patch contains a blend of essential oils selected among Camphor, Eucalyptol, Menthol, Pine. The Patch is fixed onto the body clothes, preferably near the chest area, by means of an adhesive layer. Once fixed on the body clothes and thanks to the body temperature (about 32 °C over the clothes), the Cold Fleece starts releasing the essential oils in the air and they are therefore partially inhaled through the lungs: inhaled essential oils improve breathing and relief from nasal congestion. The Cold Fleece Patch has several advantages over well established products like no clothes contamination; no hands contamination during application and removal of residual ointment is avoided. Cold Fleece has been already launched by Zambon Group through its local subsidiaries in Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and The Netherlands using a global well recognized umbrella Brand Name.

For more information about products and licensing opportunities in other countries, please contact Paolo Galfetti at APR (+41.91.6957020 or email at galfetti@apr.ch).

Company Profiles and Data

Zambon is a multinational pharmaceutical company with registered office in Italy and consists of affiliated companies and representative offices, with production plants in Italy, Switzerland, Brazil and China. The internationalization, the high research profile, a policy of development of human resources: Zambon Group has based its growth on these key elements and today is a multinational whose turnover is mainly achieved abroad.

APR Applied Pharma Research s.a. is a privately owned, pure R&D company with registered offices in Switzerland and it is focused in the research & development of innovative and patented drug delivery systems as well as innovative pharmaceutical products primarily for oral and topical administration. The APR products and technologies are licensed out for distribution and marketing activities to third parties. R&D activities are carried out directly or under contract. APR has signed licensing agreements with pharmaceutical companies in about 35 countries worldwide and its turnover is almost totally achieved abroad.

Labtec GmbH is an innovative and internationally oriented pharmaceutical company, located in Germany and focused on research and development of drug delivery systems (transdermal delivery systems, buccal/gingival delivery systems, liposomes/nanosomes, fast dissolving dosage forms) and contract analytics & stability testing, according to the ICH standards. Labtec was founded in 1990 by Dr. Cordes, who was responsible for the development of the first nitroglycerine matrix patch (Deponit). It considers some of the large pharmaceutical companies as their R&D partners. Labtec has developed one of the first matrix type estradiol patches, which is launched worldwide (Dermestril, Tradelia, Epiestrol).

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