EIF Announcement

Drug Research agreement with Amarin Corporation
17/5/02 10:19:23 AM



EIFFEL TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED 2002-05-17 ASX-SIGNAL-G


HOMEX - Melbourne



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Eiffel Technologies Ltd (EIF: ASX) has announced its third
international drug delivery alliance within six months. In a
strategic research partnership with Amarin Development AB, a
subsidiary of specialty pharmaceutical group, Amarin Corporation plc
(NASDAQ: AMRN), Eiffel will combine its Supercritical Fluid(SCF)
bioengineering technology with Amarin's patented controlled-release
delivery system.



The initial phase of the collaboration, where each party will be
responsible for individual costs, will involve applying Eiffel's SCF
technology to the production of sub-micron sized drug particles of a
currently undisclosed drug substance that has poor solubility. Those
drug particles will then be incorporated into Amarin's Diffusion
Controlled Vesicle (DCV) controlled-release technology.



The new combination technology could potentially improve the
extended-release of drugs that are difficult to deliver orally
because of their low absorption into the blood stream. The new
combination technology could be applied to new compounds or drugs
currently on the market but not available in extended-release
formulations due to dissolution issues that negatively impact
bioavailability. If successful, the collaboration may lead to an
expanded development alliance between the two groups.



The partnership not only confirms the growing interest in SCF
technology within the pharmaceutical industry but is also an
important strategic alliance for Eiffel. Amarin Corporation,
headquartered in London, is an emerging specialty pharmaceutical
company focused in neurology and pain management with an established
US neurology sales and marketing operation. Amarin Development is the
product development division based in Sweden with products on the
market distributed by pharmaceutical companies including
Sanofi-Synthelabo, Pharmacia and Tanabe Seiyaku.



The collaboration is also an important move for the company into the
reformulation of oral pharmaceutical products, which dominates the
drug delivery market, worth US$39 billion in 2000. Previous
collaborations entered into focused on the development of inhaled
pharmaceuticals to replace the injection of existing drugs.



SCF technology allows the reformulation of drugs to improve drug
efficacy and improve patient compliance through a more patient
friendly delivery means. Smaller particle size and a more controlled,
narrow particle size distribution can be achieved using SCF
techniques resulting in increased absorption profiles, reduce dosage
and decreased medication side effects.



"Amarin is committed to enhancing the value of our technology
platforms through innovative research partnerships and
collaborations," said Rick Stewart, chief executive officer of Amarin
Corporation. "This new, combination technology has the potential to
both improve the quality of controlled release drugs on the market,
as well as broaden the range of drag molecules that can be
effectively delivered orally. Most importantly, we believe that this
combination could provide significant value to our patients and
customers, as well as helping to advance our internal drug
development efforts in the key areas of neurology and pain
management."



Under the terms of the agreement, Eiffel Technologies will retain the
intellectual property that relates to the process and methodology of
its SCF technology. To date, Eiffel has filed four patents covering
its SCF technology. Three are provisional patent applications and one
is an international patent filing via PCT, with an additional filing
in the US.



Amarin's DCV system is used for the controlled release of substances
for periods up to 24 hours. The patented technologyconsists of a
tablet core incorporating the active ingredient surrounded by a
water-insoluble membrane containing minute particles of water-soluble
material. The soluble particles dissolve when the tablet is ingested,
resulting in a macro-porous film structure through which drug is
released at a steady rate. More than 3 billion tablets have been
manufactured and used effectively by patients in more than 30
countries.



Eiffel has the full suite of the SCF techniques (see the Company
website www.eiffeltechnologies.com.au for details). It can tailor
make a formulation solution depending on the unique characteristics
of a particular drug by improving oral, inhaled or injected
pharmaceuticals. Eiffel can value add to all segments of the
pharmaceutical and biotech market, from re-engineering branded or
generic pharmaceuticals, or to solving absorption and delivery needs
of new chemical entities.



Eiffel Technologies Ltd, is a bioengineering company focused on
improving the performance and delivery of pharmaceuticals, proteins
and peptides. Based in Melbourne, Australia, the company is dedicated
to the development and commercialization of SCF drug technologies to
improve therapeutic outcomes and patient administration of new and
currently marketed pharmaceuticals. Eiffel Technologies Ltd also has
alliances with Sheffield Pharmaceuticals Inc and BattellePharma Inc,
both based in the US,



Amarin Corporation plc is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused
on neurology and pain management. The company plans to become a
leader in these therapeutic categories by providing innovative
products and solutions that address significant unmet medical needs.
For press release and other Company information, visit their website
at http://www.amarincorp.com. Amarin Development AB, based in
Malmo Sweden, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Amarin Corporation. It
is dedicated to the research and development of advanced controlled
release and site-specific technology solutions to create improved
outcome formulations of both new and existing drugs.



Contacts:



Rick Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Amarin Corporation plc
Phone: +44 (0) 20 7907 2440
[email protected]



Christine Cussen
Chief Executive Officer
Eiffel Technologies Limited
Phone: +61 3 9629 8022
[email protected]