USPTO issues a Notice of Allowance for Milestone's drug delivery system patent application

Sep 17 2009

Milestone Scientific Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: MLSS), the recognized leader in advanced injection technologies, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance for Milestone's U.S. patent application, titled "Computer Controlled Drug Delivery System with Dynamic Pressure Sensing."

Dynamic Pressure Sensing provides visual and audible in-tissue pressure feedback, identifying tissue types to the healthcare provider. This feedback allows a healthcare provider to know when certain types of tissue have been penetrated, allowing for the injection of medicaments at a precise location. This is particularly beneficial when making subcutaneous and intramuscular injections.

Dr. Mark Hochman, Director of Clinical Affairs at Milestone Scientific, stated, "This Notice of Allowance is of profound significance to our Company, in that the noted intellectual property represents one of the key technological components that will afford Milestone Scientific the opportunity to enter the medical drug delivery market. Intra-articular, epidurals, along with numerous other injections should undergo a revolutionary change in the areas of efficacy, safety, and cost benefits."

A Notice of Allowance generally completes the substantive examination of a patent application. The normal process, which results in a final issuance of a U.S. patent, involves several administrative steps that are typically completed in due course following the issuance of such a Notice.

The new patent will provide protection for a key element of Milestone's technology until December 21, 2026 and thus will extend and strengthen Milestone's leadership position in the growing field of advanced injection and drug delivery systems. To date, Milestone has been awarded a total of 22 U.S. utility and design patents relating to its C-CLAD technologies. In August of this year, the Company received a Notice of Allowance for the bonded disposable hand piece for fluid administration used by the Company's commercially available C-CLAD systems, including the STA Single Tooth Anesthesia System(TM), CompuDent(R) and CompuMed(R).

"We are very proud of our Company's technological achievements and expect that the protection afforded by these patents will give Milestone a key competitive advantage in the drug delivery market," added Leonard Osser, Milestone's CEO. In June 2008, Business Insights reported that over the last decade, the drug delivery industry has evolved to become a key area in the development of value-added pharmaceutical products. The global market grew from $15 billion to $40 billion during 2000-2006 as companies increasingly turned to innovative new drug delivery technologies as a means of expanding product lifecycles, enhancing drug efficacy and maximizing revenues.