APR Applied Pharma Research s.a. and Labtec GmbH Sign New Strategic Partnership for the Development and Licensing of RapidFilm™, an Innovative Drug Delivery Technology

APR of Switzerland and Labtec of Germany have signed a strategic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement for the development and licensing of the RapidFilm™ Drug Delivery Technology.

Balerna, Switzerland; Langenfeld, Germany (PRWEB) March 17, 2006 -- After the success of the previous Partnership on the Ketoprofen Patch which has been developed by the two companies and then licensed to Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: ENDP) for US and Canada and to Zambon Group of Italy for the rest of the world, APR of Switzerland and Labtec of Germany have signed a strategic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement for the development and licensing of the RapidFilm™ Drug Delivery Technology.

RapidFilm™ is a novel proprietary oral thin film drug delivery technology platform consisting of a very thin polymeric film strip incorporating and delivering pharmaceutical active ingredients (alone or in combination): the RapidFilm has the size of a stamp and - once placed in the mouth - dissolves in a few seconds and is swallowed with the saliva without the need of taking water. The RapidFilm™ technology secures patient compliance by eliminating swallowing difficulties. The technology is complemented by a superb tastemasking technology as well as innovative packaging.

APR and Labtec have already selected a list of drug candidates in different therapeutical areas to be developed using this platform technology: in particular the companies are developing products in alzheimer´s disease, schizophrenia, antiemesis, pain as well as some dietary supplement products primarily targeted for pediatric use. Development of the a.m. active ingredients has already started.

“We are extremely proud about this new Partnership with APR: there are several therapeutical areas where the RapidFilm technology can be successfully used and applied” says Ingo Lehrke, Managing Director of Labtec “we have already proven in the past that even small drug delivery companies are able to deliver and offer readily available marketing opportunities to the pharmaceutical companies by means of joining forces and resources to develop innovative drugs using their own platform technologies”, he added.

“We are convinced that this RapidFilm™ Technology well fits in specific therapeutical areas where, in addition to the classical advantages to the consumers such as ease of use and portability, there are specific medical needs to be addressed such as avoiding water when antiemetic drugs have to be administered” says Paolo Galfetti, Managing Director at APR;

Contacts:

Paolo Galfetti; Business Development & Licensing

APR Applied Pharma Research s.a., www.apr.ch

Via Corti 5, CH - 6828 Balerna, Switzerland

T: +41 91 6957020

Dr. Ingo Lehrke; Business Development & Licensing

Labtec GmbH, www.labtec-pharma.com/

Raiffeisenstrasse 3a, D-40764 Langenfeld, Germany

T: +49 2173 9735-0

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