Innocoll Enters Partnership with Merus Labs in Canada for the Distribution of CollaGUARD

ASHBURN, Va., Nov. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Innocoll Inc. announced it has entered into a License and Distribution Agreement with Merus Labs Inc. in Canada for CollaGUARD surgical adhesion barrier for the prevention of postoperative adhesions following abdominal and pelvic surgery.  

Dr. Michael Myers, President and CEO stated, "We are pleased to announce the expansion of our partnership with Merus to include CollaGUARD and we look forward to the successful launch of the product in Canada."  

Ali Moghaddam, Vice President at Merus Labs added, "Adhesions occur after most surgical procedures, and are of major clinical, social and economic concern. The addition of CollaGUARD to our portfolio means that millions of patients at risk of adhesion will have a clinically proven superior solution. We look forward applying for Health Canada approval and working with our key opinion leaders to launch this important product. CollGUARD will add significant scale to our women's health portfolio."

About CollaGUARD®
CollaGUARD is a transparent bioresorbable film of 100% type I collagen developed using Innocoll's proprietary CollaFilm technology. It is approved in Europe for the prevention of postoperative adhesions in patients undergoing abdominopelvic laparotomy or laparoscopy.  When tested in vivo, CollaGUARD increased the probability of remaining adhesion-free by more than six fold (P < 0.001) and significantly reduced the extent and severity of adhesions (P < 0.001).

CollaGUARD has been designed and engineered with a unique combination of features for optimal handling, ease-of-use, and antiadhesion performance. It is highly stable at room temperature and does not require any advanced preparation before use. The product is non-tacky and can be easily rolled for insertion through a trocar when implanted laparoscopically. CollaGUARD is available in a wide variety of sizes up to 20 x 30 cm; it may be cut and sutured if required and therefore used efficiently across a broad range of surgeries.

About Postoperative Adhesions
Postoperative adhesions are abnormal fibrous connections that can form between any apposing internal organ and serous membrane as a natural consequence of abdominopelvic surgery. Adhesions occur in almost 95% of laparotomies and may lead to serious complications such as intestinal obstruction, secondary female infertility, and chronic abdominal or pelvic pain. More than 30% of patients who undergo open gynecologic or general surgery are readmitted within 10 years for disorders that are considered directly or potentially related to adhesions, with an average of 2 readmissions per patient. In the United States, there are approximately 350,000 hospitalizations annually for adhesiolysis following gynecologic or abdominal surgery, which account for almost 1 million inpatient days at a cost of $2.3 billion. Even for patients without complications, adhesions originating from a previous surgery can present significant surgical challenges and additional morbidity risks in subsequent operations.

About Merus Labs Inc.
Merus is a specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the acquisition and licensing of pharmaceutical products. The Company utilizes its expertise in the North American pharmaceutical markets and its access to capital to acquire and license niche branded products in Canada and United States. Merus further enhances the sale and distribution of these products by introduction of a focused marketing and promotion plan.

About Innocoll, Inc.
Innocoll is a privately held, biopharmaceutical company focused on biodegradable surgical implants and topically applied healthcare products. The company develops and manufactures a range of pharmaceutical products and medical devices using its proprietary collagen-based technologies, CollaRx®, CollaFilm, DermaSil™, CollaPress^™ and Liquicoll®. Approved products based on the Company's technologies include: Collatamp® G, Septocoll®, CollaGUARD, Collieva®, CollaCare®, Collexa®, Zorpreva™, and LidoColl®.

Other products in clinical and regulatory development include: CollaRx Gentamicin Surgical Implant in phase 3 for prevention of surgical wound infections, Cogenzia in phase 3 for the adjuvant treatment of infected diabetic foot ulcers, and Xaracoll in phase 2b for the management of post-operative pain. For more information, please visit www.innocollinc.com.

SOURCE Innocoll, Inc.