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Executive
Overview
NIOXX, LLC has developed,
tested and patented a method for topical delivery of nitric
oxide. The method involves mixing two gels on the skin to
produce nitric oxide without any harmful byproducts. Topical
treatment in this manner has been shown to increase local
blood circulation and to increase most immune responses.
Consequently, the treatment is expected to be of significant
therapeutic value for wounds, including burns and
recalcitrant wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers. Animal
tests showed dramatic improvement in the rate of healing of
burns in rats. Dr. John Heggers, Professor of Surgery,
Microbiology, and Immunology at the University of Texas
Medical Branch (UTMB), Galveston, Texas and co-director of
the Wound Healing Laboratory at the Shriner Burns Institute
in a written declaration to the US Patent and Trademark
Office states that “… I hereby declare that having been
involved in the treatment of burns for many years, I have
never seen such an effective treatment of burns to
accelerate healing”. Dr. Heggers is not a principal in
NIOXX
and has no financial interest in the technology.
The markets for topical nitric oxide are widespread and
large. Burns alone account for 650,000 treatments by medical
professionals annually with a total expense of over $2
billion. It is estimated that 15% of diabetics have some
sort of recalcitrant wound, with an total annual expense of
$20 billion on foot ulcers alone. Pressure ulcers account
for about 3 million treatments at an annual expense of over
$5 billion.
The company’s R&D efforts are now being managed by Dr.
Ferid Murad, the 1998 Nobel Laureate in Medicine for his
pioneering nitric oxide research. The work currently
underway in Dr. Murad’s laboratory is extending the
NIOXX
two gel method to include wounds and to optimize dosage –
again in preclinical animal studies.
NIOXX
hopes to initiate
clinical trials later in 2004.
Other principals of the company include Dr. Alexandru
Balaban, a world renowned synthetic organic chemist, Dr.
Robert Garfield, Director of Reproductive Sciences at UTMB,
Mr. Rai Kelso, President of OBT Corp., Dr. William Seitz,
Head of Marine Sciences at Texas A&M University at
Galveston, and Dr. William Merrell, Professor at A&M and
former Vice Chancellor of the A&M University System.
NIOXX, LLC
is the sole owner of the topical nitric
oxide technology and has received a 100% favorable review
from the European Patent office in addition to the awarded
US patent. Besides Europe,
NIOXX has filed applications in
Canada and Australia. The US patent is number 6,103,275.
The company strategy is to continue to accelerate
in-house R&D, leading to FDA approval while remaining open
to partnerships or licensing opportunities worldwide.
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