EMERYVILLE, Calif., April 14, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE Amex:NBY) has won the 1st Place Award for Outstanding Poster Presentation at the 2011 conference of The Simon Foundation for Continence, "Innovating for Continence: The Engineering Challenge," which was held in Chicago on April 11-13.
The award-winning poster, "NVC-422 Prevents Urinary Catheter Blockage and Encrustation," reports that NovaBay's lead Aganocide® compound has been observed to reduce P. mirabilis bacteria, urinary pH, and crystalline encrustation in lab models of catheterized bladders. A NovaBay team conducted the research to address the challenge faced by patients with long-term indwelling bladder catheters, who often face bacterial colonization causing encrustation and subsequent catheter blockage which often lead to incontinence and serious infections. Among the criteria considered in the selection process were contribution to the theme of the conference, significance of the research, framing of the incontinence problem and support for the scientific conclusions reached.
NovaBay's poster was one of 27 posters presented at the conference by companies that included Kimberly-Clark Corp., Medtronic Inc. and Uroplasty Inc., as well as academic institutions and facilities based in the United States, United Kingdom, Argentina and Korea. The conference attracts leading scientists from several disciplines, a variety of healthcare providers, academics, and executives from companies in the incontinence industry.
Commenting on the award, Dr. Ron Najafi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NovaBay said: "We are delighted that NovaBay's poster has received the 1st Place Award. We view this award as a validation that NovaBay's scientific and clinical approach to the problem is of significant value and relevance to the spinal cord injury community. We are grateful to our dedicated research, development and clinical teams at NovaBay who are not only making a difference in urology with a potential breakthrough product and clinical program, but are also focused on developing NovaBay's highly differentiated Aganocide platform of antimicrobial compounds that are not prone to antibiotic resistance."
To view the NovaBay poster, please follow this link: http://www.simonfoundation.org/Images/Abstracts%202011.pdf Page 15.
About NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing its proprietary and patented Aganocide compounds. These are novel, synthetic anti-infectives with activity against bacteria, fungi and viruses, and are being developed to treat and prevent a wide range of local, non-systemic infections with a low likelihood of developing bacterial resistance.
NovaBay is focusing its technology on four distinct therapeutic areas: dermatology, ophthalmology, urology and hospital infections. In dermatology, the focus is on developing NVC-422 gel for impetigo and acne. NovaBay has the advantage of being partnered with Galderma, the leading dermatology company in the world. In ophthalmology, the goal is to develop an eye drop for conjunctivitis with Alcon, the world's foremost ophthalmology company. In urology, NovaBay aims to reduce the incidence of urinary catheter blockage and encrustation (UCBE) and the associated urinary tract infections with an irrigation solution containing NVC-422. In hospital infection, NovaBay is targeting the six-million-patient market of chronic non-healing wounds, such as pressure, venous stasis and diabetic ulcers with its proprietary antimicrobial solution, NeutroPhase® which has received two 510K clearances from the Food and Drug Administration. For additional information, visit www.novabaypharma.com.
About The Simon Foundation for Continence
The Simon Foundation for Continence was founded in 1983 in the United States. The mission of the Simon Foundation is to: "Bring the topic of incontinence out into the open, remove the stigma surrounding incontinence, and provide help and hope to people with incontinence, their families and the health professionals who provide their care." The Foundation's mission is supported by a Governing Board of Directors and an Advisory Board of professionals, many of whom have dedicated their careers to improving the clinical treatment of incontinence and advancing medical science through bladder and bowel research. The Simon Foundation is known throughout the world for its innovative educational projects and tireless efforts on behalf of people with loss of bladder and bowel control. For more information, visit www.simonfoundation.org.