IRVINE, Calif., April 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biomerica, Inc. (Nasdaq: BMRA) announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for Biomerica’s first U.S. patent pertaining to the Company’s InFoods® family of products that allow for revolutionary new treatment option for patients suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and other gastrointestinal diseases. Specifically, this allowed application (#15/526,240) contains numerous claims that broadly cover a product that enables physicians to identify patient specific foods (e.g. pork, milk, shrimp, broccoli, chickpeas, etc.), that when removed, may alleviate or improve an individual's IBS symptoms, including but not limited to constipation, diarrhea, bloating, pain and indigestion.
It is estimated that over 45 million Americans suffer from IBS and the symptoms are often triggered by consumption of specific foods (which are unique in each sufferer). The total cost (direct + indirect) of IBS has been estimated at $30 billion annually in the United States. IBS is a common condition that can substantially impair patient well-being and a person’s ability to function both at home and in the workplace.
Biomerica has additional U.S. patent applications in process that cover other claims pertaining to the InFoods® IBS product. Further, Biomerica is also developing, and has filed patents for other diseases in the InFoods® family of products, which include: Functional Dyspepsia, Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
The InFoods® diagnostic guided IBS therapy is in clinical studies at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Inc., a Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital, and at the University of Michigan. Since the InFoods® product is a diagnostic-guided therapy, and not a drug, it has no drug type side effects.
“We are very pleased that the U.S. Patent Office has broadly acknowledged our InFoods IBS product as novel and inventive. This is the first in a series of applications to provide broad protection for a test panel to determine IBS trigger foods and allow for a diagnostic guided therapy for IBS patients,” said Zack Irani, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Biomerica. “The allowance of these claims in the InFoods® patent estate clearly validates our strategy and strengthens our efforts to allow physicians to offer new and better therapies to patients.”
“Biomerica has maintained an ongoing strategy to patent the intellectual property required to develop and commercialize our unique IBS guided therapy, as well as similar products for use in other GI disorders such as GERD, functional dyspepsia, and IBD,” said Elisabeth Laderman, Ph.D., VP of Development and Quality at Biomerica. “We will continue to innovate and advance our technology and plan to continue to extend our basic patent protections for our diagnostic guided therapies.”
Issued patents in the InFoods® estate also include Korean Patent (#10-1887545) covering compositions, devices and methods of IBS sensitivity testing. Following a Notice of Allowance, the process resulting in final issuance of a patent involves several administrative steps that are typically completed within a year.
About Biomerica (NASDAQ: BMRA)
Biomerica, Inc. (www.biomerica.com) is a global biomedical company that develops, manufactures and markets advanced diagnostic products used at the point-of-care (in home and in physicians' offices) and in hospital/clinical laboratories for the early detection of medical conditions and diseases. The Company's products are designed to enhance the health and well-being, while reducing total healthcare costs. Biomerica primarily focuses on products for Gastrointestinal Disease, Diabetes and esoteric testing.
The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by Biomerica) contains statements that are forward-looking; such as statements relating to intended launch dates, sales potential, significant benefits or opportunities, expected clinical sample collection, market size, prospects, new products, favorable outlook, new distributors, expansion, increases in productivity and margins, expected orders, leading market positions, anticipated future sales or production volume of the Company, the launch or success of product and new product offerings. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future, and accordingly, such results may differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of Biomerica. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, fluctuations in the Company's operating results due to its business model and expansion plans, new tariffs and restrictions on foreign trade, downturns in international and or national economies, the Company's ability to raise additional capital, the competitive environment in which the Company will be competing, and the Company's dependence on strategic relationships. The Company is under no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this release.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Zackary Irani
949-645-2111
www.biomerica.com