NAL Norwoodabb Fpo

Norwood Abbey Ltd (ASX:NAL): Key points: -- Strategic drug delivery patent grants in US -- Focus on delivery by catheter into blood vessels and other body passages -- Enhancing permeation through application of electromagnetic energy -- High drug concentration delivery achieved without systemic toxicity and other effects Norwood Abbey Ltd (ASX:NAL) advises that the US Patent Office has granted Patent No US 7,020,516 B2. The Patent is entitled "Catheter for delivering electromagnetic energy for enhanced permeation of substances." It contains 13 claims relating to a catheter capable of delivering high concentration of pharmaceutically active substances and electromagnetic energy into cells and tissues, utilising blood vessels and other body passages as the delivery route. The use of electromagnetic energy facilitates the enhanced permeation, allowing high concentrations of drug to be delivered directly to target areas inside the body. This can be achieved without the systemic toxicity and other adverse effects that may arise with systemic delivery. This patent derives from Application No 10/383,593 filed on March 7 2003. It is a Division of Application No 09/534,688 filed on March 24 2000, now Patent No 6,532,387. It has been granted to the inventors, Stephen Flock and Kevin Marchitto; the patent is assigned to Norwood Abbey Ltd subsidiary Spectral BioSystems Inc. Norwood Abbey Ltd Chairman Peter Hansen notes: "This patent has the potential to provide the company with a significant commercial position in the field of the efficient delivery of substances inside body passages. The company will be seeking to deal with potential partners in the medical areas of catheters and endoscopes at an early date." The ability to deliver pharmaceutically active substances through body passages offers the prospect of access to other sites (surrounding tissue and organs) adjacent to such body passages for treatment. For example, access to treatment of the prostate via colon or bladder. The technology also offers the prospect of delivery of electromagnetic energy to sites of abnormal growths and obstructions, as in blood vessels arising from coronary crises, including conditions such as stenosis and restenosis. Examples of specific (illustrative) embodiments of the technology cover the use of pressure-wave optical pressure, optical propulsion, coherent force and incoherent force. Further examples cover the application of pressure to permeabilized membranes and specific designs for catheters for blood vessels. To find out more about the company, visit www.norwoodabbey.com.