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CEDAR KNOLLS, N.J., Oct 08, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Emisphere Technologies, Inc. (OTC BB: EMIS) today announced that the Company is introducing and launching its first commercially available product, oral Eligen(R) B12 (100 mcg). Oral Eligen(R) B12 (100 mcg) has been specifically developed to help improve Vitamin B12 absorption and bioavailability with a patented formulation.
"We are very excited that our first product introduction will help to advance the field of nutrition by offering a superior oral formulation to improve Vitamin B12 absorption and bioavailability," says Michael V. Novinski, President and Chief Executive Officer, Emisphere Technologies. "By partnering with Life Extension, a highly respected company in the nutrient and supplement field, we are confident that we will have the proper marketing and sales infrastructure to allow oral Eligen(R) B12 (100 mcg) to be successful."
In a trial with healthy subjects conducted last year, Eligen(R) B12 (100 mcg) resulted in a ten-fold increase in peak serum B12 blood levels, a two fold improvement in total bioavailability and a reduction in absorption time greater than 90% as compared to standard oral commercial formulations.
"Oral Eligen(R) B12 (100 mcg) is a scientific breakthrough that will help many individuals by increasing Vitamin B12 levels in the body," notes Dr. Michael Rothkopf M.D., Director of Atlantic Health's Metabolic Medicine and Weight Control Center in Morristown, NJ. "It has a different mechanism of action than other available formulations which will also prove to be a benefit."
Steven V. Joyal, Vice President of Scientific Affairs at Life Extension states: "We are truly committed to maximizing the opportunity with oral Eligen(R) B12 (100 mcg) and other future products utilizing the Eligen(R) Technology. We pride ourselves in bringing forward advanced nutritional supplements for our customers and we believe that Eligen(R) B12 represents that type of innovative offering we are always seeking."
Life Extension will have certain exclusivity in the USA for distribution via the internet and also at specialty health food and nutritional retail outlets including; The Vitamin Shoppe, GNC and Vitamin World. Oral Eligen(R) B12 (100mcg) tablets will be available starting November of this year. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
"This development and milestone represents a new day at Emisphere Technologies," emphasizes Novinski. "We are especially proud that our first commercial offering will have the potential to revolutionize the nutritional field and bring great benefit to people dependent on supplementing their natural Vitamin B12 levels."
Emisphere is also working on a high dose Medical Food Eligen(R) B12 product (1000 mcg) to compete directly with the standard high dose B12 injection currently administered to millions of individuals under medical supervision for B12 deficiency. It is estimated that between 30 and 40 million high dose injections of B12 are given each year in the US alone and over 250 million such injections are given worldwide. Emisphere is currently conducting a clinical study with Eligen(R) B12 (1000 mcg) which is expected to be completed in 2010.
Oral Eligen(R) B12 (100 mcg) and the foregoing statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Oral Eligen(R) B12 (100 mcg) is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
About Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is necessary for the formation and maturation of red blood cells and the synthesis of DNA. It is also necessary for normal nerve function and assists in the body's immune system. Unlike most vitamins, B12 is stored in the liver until it is needed by the body. Deficiency is a major health concern that can lead to anemia, fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, neurological changes, confusion and dementia.
Vitamin B12 is adequately absorbed in the bodies of healthy people, but many older people lose their natural ability to absorb the nutrient. Younger individuals may also have difficulty absorbing B12 as a result of taking certain medications and chemotherapy. Those at highest risk for B12 deficiency include anyone over age 60, those with GI tract disorders such as Crohn's Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Celiac Disease, individuals who have had bypass surgery, those undergoing chronic therapy with absorption altering drugs, alcoholics and vegetarians/vegans.
About Emisphere Technologies Inc.
Emisphere is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on a unique and improved delivery of therapeutic molecules or nutritional supplements using its proprietary Eligen(R) Technology. The Eligen(R) Technology can be applied to the oral route of administration as well as other delivery pathways such as buccal, rectal, inhalation, intra-vaginal or transdermal. The company's website is www.emisphere.com.
About Life Extension
Life Extension has been offering consumers unique, scientifically innovative nutraceuticals and supplements for over 29 years. They are a pioneer in the nutraceutical field and a respected leader offering innovative products based on research and science. The company's website is www.lef.org.
Safe Harbor Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The statements in this release and oral statements made by representatives of Emisphere relating to matters that are not historical facts (including without limitation those regarding the timing or potential outcomes of research collaborations or clinical trials, any market that might develop for any of Emisphere's product candidates and the sufficiency of Emisphere's cash and other capital resources) are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the likelihood that future research will prove successful, the likelihood that any product in the research pipeline will receive regulatory approval in the United States or abroad, the ability of Emisphere and/or its partners to develop, manufacture and commercialize products using Emisphere's drug delivery technology, Emisphere's ability to fund such efforts with or without partners, and other risks and uncertainties detailed in Emisphere's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including those factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in Emisphere's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008, filed on March 16, 2009, and as amended on Form 10-K/A as filed on April 30, 2009, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009, filed on May 7, 2009.
SOURCE: Emisphere Technologies, Inc.
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