Star Scientific Plans Worldwide Marketing and Sales of CigRx(TM) Nutraceutical in Partnership with inVentiv Health
By Prne, Gaea News NetworkTuesday, November 3, 2009
PETERSBURG, Virginia -
Star Scientific, Inc. (Nasdaq: STSI) announced today that the company plans to introduce the CigRx(TM) nutraceutical product developed by its subsidiary, Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals, for worldwide marketing and sales in partnership with inVentiv Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: VTIV). inVentiv Health offers a complete range of commercialization solutions for every stage of the product lifecycle, in a range of healthcare categories that includes nutraceutical products. The company has marketing and sales capabilities in 40 countries around the globe. Jonnie R. Williams, Star’s CEO, stated, “Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the world. However, the global cigarette business, which now exceeds US$300 billion, continues to grow. Our goal is to make CigRx(TM) available to adult smokers worldwide who wish to maintain a nicotine-free metabolism.” Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals will be responsible for the manufacturing of CigRx(TM), and the company anticipates that inVentiv Health will be involved in the product marketing and sales, with a focus on product education for physicians and health care professionals, as well as consumers.
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Star also announced that it has retained McColl Partners LLC to advise the company on a range of corporate finance matters, including the assessment of strategic initiatives involving new products. McColl Partners, an independent investment banking firm co-founded by Hugh McColl, former Chairman of Bank of America, specializes in the needs of management and owners of middle-market companies. The firm offers strategic advice and assistance to its clients regarding mergers and acquisitions.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Star Scientific, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) has tried, whenever possible, to identify these forward-looking statements using words such as “anticipates”, “believes”, “estimates”, “expects”, “plans”, “intends” and similar expressions. These statements reflect the Company’s current beliefs and are based upon information currently available to it. Accordingly, such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such statements. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include, without limitation, the challenges inherent in new product development initiatives, the uncertainties inherent in the progress of scientific research, the Company’s ability to raise additional capital in the future necessary to maintain its business, potential disputes concerning the Company’s intellectual property, risks associated with litigation regarding such intellectual property, potential delays in obtaining any necessary government approvals of the Company’s low-TSNA tobacco products, market acceptance of the Company’s new smokeless tobacco products, competition from companies with greater resources than the Company, the Company’s decision not to join the Master Settlement Agreement (”MSA”), the effect of state statutes adopted under the MSA, and the Company’s dependence on key employees and on its strategic relationships with Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation in light of its combination with RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, Inc. The impact of potential litigation, if initiated against or by individual states that have adopted the MSA, could be materially adverse to the Company.
Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that the expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. See additional discussion under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008, as filed with the SEC on March 16, 2009, and other factors detailed from time to time in the Company’s other filings with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov. This information is current as of this date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or advise upon any such forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
About Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals
Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals develops pharmaceutical products for treatment of addiction and other neurological disorders, and other products such as nutraceuticals. The company supports third-party academic, educational and therapeutic advances in both these areas of research. Rock Creek has scientific and research offices in Gloucester, MA and a regulatory office in Washington, DC.
About Star Scientific
Star Scientific is a technology-oriented tobacco company with a toxin reduction mission. It is engaged in the development of dissolvable smokeless tobacco products that deliver fewer carcinogenic toxins (principally tobacco specific nitrosamines, or TSNAs), through the utilization of the innovative StarCured(R) tobacco curing technology, and in sublicensing that technology to others. Star Scientific has a Corporate and Sales Office in Petersburg, VA, an Executive, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs office in Bethesda, MD, and manufacturing facilities in Chase City, VA. For more information, visit www.starscientific.com
About inVentiv Health
inVentiv Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: VTIV) is an insights-driven global healthcare leader that provides dynamic solutions to deliver customer and patient success. inVentiv delivers its customized clinical, sales, marketing and communications solutions through its four core business segments: inVentiv Clinical, inVentiv Communications, inVentiv Commercial, and inVentiv Patient Outcomes. inVentiv Health’s client roster is comprised of more than 350 leading pharmaceutical, biotech, life sciences and healthcare payor companies, including all top 20 global pharmaceutical manufacturers. For more information, visit www.inventivhealth.com.
Contact: Sara Troy Machir VP, Communications & Investor Relations Star Scientific, Inc. +1-301-654-8300
Source: Star Scientific, Inc.
Sara Troy Machir, VP, Communications & Investor Relations, +1-301-654-8300
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