Nuvo Research Presents Positive Phase III Study Results For Pennsaid At Leading Rheumatology Conference

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Article Date: 28 Oct 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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Nuvo Research Inc. (TSX: NRI), a Canadian drug development company focused on the research and development of drug products delivered to and through the skin using its topical and transdermal drug delivery technologies, announced that study results showing that Pennsaid, Nuvo's topical diclofenac solution, is an effective treatment option for the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee, with an improved safety profile compared to oral diclofenac, were detailed in a poster presentation at the 2008 American College of Rheumatology Scientific Meeting in San Francisco.

The lead author of the presentation was Dr. Lee Simon, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School. This was the first presentation to a medical and scientific audience of the Phase III clinical study results, which were originally announced by the Company upon study completion in January 2006.

"Presenting at a prestigious event such as the American College of Rheumatology Scientific Meeting provides Nuvo with a forum to share our compelling Pennsaid clinical data with medical and scientific leaders," said Dr. Brad Galer, Vice President and General Manager of Nuvo's Pain Group. "As we move closer to Pennsaid's approval by the U.S. FDA, it is important that the professional rheumatology community be aware of what we believe is the strongest clinical efficacy and safety evidence of any topical NSAID formulation for the treatment of osteoarthritis. We believe that this data supports the conclusion that Pennsaid, once approved, will be the best-in-class product available in the U.S."

"These results confirm and extend previous studies and show that this novel topical diclofenac solution is efficacious for the relief of symptoms in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis," said Dr. Marc C. Hochberg, Head, Division of Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "Furthermore, it had similar efficacy to orally administered diclofenac with fewer gastrointestinal, hepatic and renal adverse events. Topical NSAIDs should be considered in the management of patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis involving joints accessible to these agents."

Nuvo's Phase III trial, Study 112, enrolled 775 patients in the U.S. and Canada with symptoms of primary osteoarthritis of the knee. Patients in this five-arm, double-blind, 12-week trial applied a topical solution and took an oral pill. The five arms were: 1) Pennsaid(R) plus oral placebo, 2) topical placebo containing a small amount of DMSO for blinding purposes (DMSO facilitates delivery of diclofenac to the knee) plus oral placebo, 3) topical vehicle-control (containing the same concentration of DMSO as in Pennsaid(R)) plus oral placebo, 4) topical placebo plus oral diclofenac and 5) Pennsaid(R) plus oral diclofenac.

Pennsaid(R) (arm 1) was superior to placebo (arm 2) with statistically significant improvement in all three primary clinical endpoints required by the FDA: pain relief (p=0.019), improvement in physical function (p=0.046) and improved patient overall health assessment (POHA) (p less than 0.0001).

Additional results from the trial show that Pennsaid(R) (arm 1) was superior to vehicle control (arm 3) (pain, p=0.009; physical function, p=0.026; POHA, p=0.016). There was no difference between vehicle control (arm 3) and placebo (arm 2) indicating that DMSO alone is ineffective against the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis (p greater than 0.05). There was no difference between Pennsaid(R) (arm 1) and oral diclofenac (arm 4) for all three endpoints (p greater than 0.05). Arm 5 was included in the trial at the FDA's request to review the side effect profile of Pennsaid(R) if combined with an oral NSAID. This combination showed no increased incidence of the usual side effects, just the expected additive profiles of Pennsaid(R) alone plus oral diclofenac alone.

Further data published today in the poster presentation showed that dry skin was the most common adverse event with Pennsaid use. Fewer digestive system adverse events and laboratory abnormalities (hemoglobin, AST, ALT, creatinine) were observed with Pennsaid than oral diclofenac.

About Nuvo Research Inc.

Nuvo is focused on the research and development of drug products delivered to and through the skin using its topical and transdermal drug delivery technologies. Nuvo's lead product is Pennsaid(R), a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) used for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Nuvo intends to leverage its skin-penetrating technologies to create a portfolio of topical and transdermal products targeting a variety of indications.

Nuvo Research Inc. is a publicly traded, Canadian pharmaceutical company headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, with manufacturing facilities in Varennes, Quebec and Wanzleben, Germany and a research and development Center in San Diego California. For more information, please visit http://www.nuvoresearch.com.

These forward-looking statements, by their nature, necessarily involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. The Companies consider the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based to be reasonable at the time they were prepared, but caution that these assumptions regarding the future events, many of which are beyond the control of the Companies and their subsidiaries, may ultimately prove to be incorrect. Factors and risks, which could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations, are discussed in the annual reports, as well as in the Companies' Annual Information Forms for the year ended December 31, 2007. The Companies disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether a result of new information, future events, or except as required by law. For additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to these forward-looking statements, investors should consult the Companies' ongoing quarterly filings, annual reports and Annual Information Forms and other filings found on SEDAR at http://www.sedar.com.

Nuvo Research Inc
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