Cohera Medical Awarded Platform Patent on its Biodegradable Adhesive Technology

PITTSBURGH, May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cohera Medical, Inc.®, a leading innovator and developer of absorbable surgical adhesives and sealants, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued the Company patent number 8,182,647, titled "Hydrophilic Biodegradable Adhesives".

The patent relates to a broad platform of novel adhesives including the Company's initial commercial product TissuGlu® Surgical Adhesive, a surgical adhesive used for large flap tissue approximation.  The adhesives covered by the patent are high-strength, completely synthetic and resorbable.  In addition, they have easy application in the operating theatre and are biocompatible for internal human use.  The patent covers variations of adhesives that allow for multiple products with varying strengths and cure properties, thereby enabling the development of products for additional clinical applications. 

"The unique chemistry of these synthetic adhesives is a breakthrough discovery in the field of medical glues," said Eric Beckman, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Cohera Medical and the patent's primary inventor.  "The development of this technology has taken many years to perfect, and this patent is the culmination of a significant research effort by the company." 

"We are excited to add this patent to our growing intellectual property portfolio, which solidifies our leadership position in internal surgical adhesives," said Patrick Daly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cohera Medical. "This patent protects the core of our proprietary technology as well as the key features of our products that make them commercially and clinically viable."

Cohera Medical recently received CE Marking approval for its lead product TissuGlu  and began selling product to hospitals and surgeons in Germany in 2011. TissuGlu has been used successfully in over 350 surgical procedures in Germany by leading plastic and reconstructive surgeons. The product is currently undergoing clinical trials in the U.S.

About Cohera Medical

Cohera Medical, Inc.® is a leading innovator and developer of absorbable surgical adhesives and sealants. The Company's first product, TissuGlu® Surgical Adhesive, is an internal surgical adhesive for large flap surgeries, such as abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), that help eliminate or reduce fluid accumulation and the need for post surgical drains.  TissuGlu's chemical composition is resorbable, non-toxic, forms a strong bond between tissue layers and allows for natural healing, which ultimately may enable faster recovery. TissuGlu has received CE Marking approval to be sold in the European Union (EU).  Cohera Medical is also developing a unique and proprietary bowel sealant, and a strong adhesive for mesh fixation. Outside of the EU, TissuGlu and the other Cohera products are currently indicated for investigational use only and have not yet been approved for marketing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. or in any other market.  For more information, visit www.coheramed.com.

Certain statements made throughout this press release that are not historical facts contain forward-looking statements regarding the Company's future plans, objectives and expected performance. Any such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable, but are subject to a wide range of risks and uncertainties and, therefore, there can be no assurance that actual results may not differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Cohera Medical, Inc.