UPPSALA, Sweden, Jan. 14, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Q-Med has obtained approval from the Swedish Medical Products Agency to begin a study on patients with GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease, GERD.
GERD (GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease) involves gastric juice content leaking from the stomach up into the esophagus, causing heartburn, amongst other things.
"This is a very interesting market for us. 15 -- 20 percent of the population suffer from this problem at least once per week and seven percent have problems daily," said Bengt Agerup, Q-Med's President and CEO.
In the study a gel consisting of NASHA and dextranomer will be injected into the lower esophageal sphincter with the aid of a gastroscope, in order to strengthen the closing function and reduce the heartburn. The same gel is used in Q-Med's products ZUIDEX and DEFLUX.
"Moving forward with GERD is as a natural step in the process of developing the medical use of our NASHA technology," concluded Bengt Agerup.
The six-month study, which will form the basis of an application for a CE mark for sales in Europe, will include 60 patients at five different centers in Stockholm and Uppsala. The purpose of the study is to investigate safety and effect.
Queries should be addressed to:
Bengt Agerup, President and CEO Ph:+46(0)70-974 90 25 Fredrik Hallstan, Manager, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications Ph:+46(0)70-974 90 15.
Note: Q-Med AB operates under the name of Q-Med Scandinavia, Inc. in the USA.
Q-Med is a rapidly growing and profitable biotechnology/medical device company that develops, produces and markets medical implants. All products are based on the company's patented technology for the production of NASHA - Non-Animal Stabilized Hyaluronic Acid. The products RESTYLANE, RESTYLANE Fine Lines and RESTYLANE Perlane are used for the filling out of lips and facial wrinkles and today account for the majority of sales. DUROLANE, Q-Med's product for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint, has been approved in Europe since May 2001. DEFLUX is a product which has been approved in Europe and the USA for the treatment of vesicoureteral reflux (malformation of the urinary bladder) in children. ZUIDEX for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women has been sold in Europe since July 2002. Since July Q-Med today has 440 employees, with approximately 290 at the company's production facility and head office in Uppsala. The Q-Med share was first listed on the O-list of the Stockholm Stock Exchange in December 1999.
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