Novel product for post surgical scar formation entering clinical development.

Gothenburg 2009-01-21

PharmaSurgics AB has received approval from the Swedish medical product agency to proceed to phase I clinical documentation with the novel candidate drug, PXL01, indicated for post-surgical adhesion prevention. The clinical program will be initiated in March 2009.

Adhesions are bands of scar tissue that connect anatomic structures that should not normally be connected. These develop when the body's repair mechanisms respond to tissue injury as the result of surgical trauma. Adhesions form after almost any type of surgery and are a significant source of post-surgical complications for millions of patients, a major burden for surgeons and a great economic load on the healthcare systems.

Currently the problem does not have any satisfying solution and there is a great need for new products. PharmaSurgics patented drug candidate (PXL01) has demonstrated an excellent effect and safety profile in preclinical studies and the first clinical trial on patients are planned to start in the end of 2009. PharmaSurgics goal is to be first to market with a pharmacological product for the prevention of post-surgical adhesions.

For further information please contact Fredrik Sjövall, CEO of PharmaSurgics
Phone: +46 31 762 29 01
Email: fredrik@pharmasurgics.se

About PharmaSurgics
PharmaSurgics in Sweden AB is a Gothenburg based biotech company that develops and commercializes a novel treatment for preventing harmful scarring and promoting wound healing after surgery. PharmaSurgics product concept is based on proprietary synthetic peptides which have strong anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious properties. The company was founded in 2005, based on extensive research by Dr. Inger Mattsby- Baltzer and Professor Kjell Olmarker at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. PharmaSurgics is part of the Karolinska Development portfolio.