Norwood gains US patent

Transdermal drug delivery company Norwood Abbey (ASX: NAL) has gained US patent approval of a laser technology for internal drug delivery.

The patent covers technology derived from US companies Norwood purchased in 2000.

Marketing director Bernie Romanin said the technology involved the use of lasers on the end of an internal probe to increase the permeation of drugs into cells.

Romanin said Norwood was currently focussed on external transdermal drug delivery using lasers and did not intend to develop the newly-patented technology.

"It is an attractive application to laser technology and we may look at developing it at a later stage or licensing it to someone with more of an interest in internal delivery," he said.

In 2000, Norwood bought Transmedica International with interests in laser-based drug delivery and body fluid collection technology, and Spectral Biosystems, which also held a portfolio of patents and patent applications in areas complementary to Norwood.

The companies were folded into Norwood, and existing patent applications continue to be processed.