Emisphere Announces Second Study Demonstrating Dramatic Increases in Absorption of Oral B12 Using eligen(R) Technology at L...( CEDAR KNOLLS N.J. March 19 /- Emi...),Health

CEDAR KNOLLS, N.J., March 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Emisphere Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: EMIS) released today results of additional animal studies demonstrating that its proprietary eligen(R) technology enhances the absorption of oral B12 at considerably lower doses than were used previously. The lower doses are believed to be more physiologically relevant. The data showed that the rate of absorption of B12 administered with eligen(R) increased significantly -- 26 to 34 minutes, compared with 72 minutes for B12 administered alone. Confirming the original study, overall absorption of B12 using eligen(R) technology was 18 times greater than with the same dose administered alone.

"This new data not only confirms our original findings, but is a step forward in our plan to commercialize our eligen(R) technology," said Michael V. Novinski, President and Chief Executive Officer of Emisphere. "These studies validate our belief in the efficacy of the technology and enable us to move toward human clinical studies as early as the beginning of the third quarter of this year."

Commenting on the size of the potential market for an oral B12 preparation, Mr. Novinski noted that, "there are at least five million people in the United States receiving 40 million B12 injections annually to treat a variety of debilitating medical conditions, and at least an additional five million people are consuming over 600 million tablets of B12 of various strengths annually. This indicates a large need for an oral B12 that can deliver therapeutic levels."

ABOUT EMISPHERE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

Emisphere Technologies, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on a unique and improved delivery of therapeutic molecules and pharmaceutical c
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