GLEN ALLEN, Va., July 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Star
Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ: CIGX) announced that the U.S. Patent
& Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for
claims covering a product formulation that, among other uses,
assists in weight loss and also the reduction of tobacco use.
Application No. 12/826,985, entitled "Nutritional Product
Containing Anatabine and Yerba Mate," describes and claims
compositions containing a combination of anatabine and yerba mate,
as well as the uses of those compositions for assisting in weight
loss and in curbing the urge to use tobacco. The Notice of
Allowance was issued on July 3, 2012,
to Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals, the company's wholly owned
subsidiary. As is typical in the patent examination process,
the Notice of Allowance was issued after the company satisfactorily
responded to two prior USPTO office actions. A written patent
will be issued by the USPTO within the next several months.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120301/NE62741LOGO
)
Paul L Perito, Esq, Chairman, President, and Chief Operating
Officer of Star Scientific noted, "We are very pleased that the
Patent and Trademark Office will issue a second patent to the
company this year relating to anatabine and its uses. As we
noted in reporting on the issuance of a patent for the synthesis of
anatabine (Patent No. 8,207,346), we continue to pursue other
patents relating to product formulations containing anatabine and
methods of administering anatabine for the nutritional management
of disorders associated with unhealthy levels of
inflammation. When this patent issues, the company will have
a portfolio of fifteen U.S. patents and one U.S. design
patent."
Certain statements contained in this release constitute
forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements include,
but are not limited to statements identified by words such as
"believes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "intends,"
"plans," "targets," "projects" and similar expressions. The
statements in this release are based upon the current beliefs and
expectations of our company's management and are subject to
significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from
those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Numerous factors
could cause or contribute to such differences, including, but not
limited to, results of clinical trials, the challenges inherent in
new product development initiatives, including the continued
development and market acceptance of our nutraceutical and low-TSNA
tobacco products, our ability to license and protect our
intellectual property, our ability to raise additional capital in
the future that is necessary to maintain our business, changes in
government policy and/or regulation, including with respect to our
nutraceutical and low-TSNA tobacco products, as well as other risks
discussed from time to time in our filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, our annual
report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011. We undertake no duty to update
any forward-looking statement or any information contained in this
press release or in other public disclosures at any time.
About Star Scientific
Star Scientific, Inc. is a technology-oriented company with a
mission to promote maintenance of a healthy metabolism, as well as
to reduce the harm associated with the use of tobacco at every
level. Over the last several years, through its wholly owned
subsidiary, Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals, Star Scientific has been
engaged in the manufacturing, sale, and marketing of two
nutraceutical dietary supplements, and the development of other
nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. The company also has continued
to pursue the development, implementation, and licensing of the
technology behind its proprietary StarCured® tobacco curing
process, which substantially prevents the formation of carcinogenic
toxins present in tobacco and tobacco smoke, primarily the
tobacco-specific nitrosamines, or TSNAs and related low-TSNA
dissolvable tobacco products. Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals has
scientific and research offices in Gloucester, MA, and a regulatory office in
Washington, DC. Star
Scientific has a Corporate and Sales Office in Glen Allen, VA, an Executive, Scientific &
Regulatory Affairs office in Bethesda,
MD, and a manufacturing facility in Chase City, VA.
Contact:
Talhia T. Tuck
Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations
Star Scientific, Inc.
(301) 654-8300
ttuck@starscientific.com
SOURCE Star Scientific, Inc.