Milestone Scientific Provides Update on Strategic Objectives for 2006
06 Março 2006 - 10:30AM
PR Newswire (US)
New Products Set Stage for Expanded Market Opportunities
LIVINGSTON, N.J., March 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Milestone
Scientific Inc. (AMEX:MSS), which develops, manufactures, and
markets 'intelligent' computer controlled local anesthetic delivery
systems, today provided shareholders with an update on the
Company's strategic objectives for the year 2006. "We believe 2006
will be a 'watershed' year for our Company," stated Leonard Osser,
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Milestone Scientific Inc.
"We are moving forward aggressively with a new product development
program that is expected to allow Milestone to further penetrate
its existing markets and exploit new medical and dental market
opportunities. During 2006, we expect a number of strategic
objectives that we have been pursuing for quite some time to come
to fruition, thereby expanding significantly the Company's
long-term revenue and profit opportunities." Products under
development or recently introduced are briefly described below.
CoolBlue Professional Teeth Whitening System Towards the end of
2005, Milestone Scientific announced the market launch of its
CoolBlue system, which targets the $5 billion worldwide teeth
whitening market. The CoolBlue system is designed to maximize
long-term revenues from disposable per-patient kits that are
utilized in the whitening treatment process. "We are in the very
early stages of a marketing program for CoolBlue, and 2006 will be
the first year of meaningful revenues from this new product," noted
Osser. "Initial feedback from dentists has been outstanding, with a
number of users telling us that CoolBlue does a better job of
whitening teeth, in less time and more comfortably for the patient,
than the most costly professional teeth whitening systems currently
in the market. This suggests that dentists can expand their revenue
opportunities by offering teeth whitening services at a lower price
to a larger percentage of their patients, while at the same time
generating high-margin recurring revenues to Milestone from the
sale of disposable kits." The Company's first significant direct
marketing program for CoolBlue is scheduled to launch in the second
quarter of 2006. Single-Tooth Anesthesia (STA) System For several
years, Milestone has been developing a product that combines the
capabilities of its CompuDent local anesthetic delivery system and
its CompuFlo pressure-sensing technology (see discussion below).
This is currently referred to as the Company's "single-tooth
anesthesia" or "STA" device, and management's goal is to have the
device on the market by the end of 2006. "The STA device is
designed to significantly improve the efficiency of a procedure
that is highly popular among dentists - the periodontal ligament
injection," observed Osser. "Currently, dentists typically assure
effective anesthetic administration by using a mandibular block,
which effectively deadens a quarter of the face instead of just the
single tooth being worked on. Unfortunately, dentists 'miss' the
targeted area for the anesthesia about 30% of the time, requiring
multiple injections and more patient time in the chair. In
addition, "block" anesthesia inconveniences the patient in a number
of ways; the lip and tongue are made numb as an avoidable side
effect of this technique; and when a patient requires anesthesia
for work on the opposite side of the mouth, dentists must currently
schedule two separate appointments due to the impossibility of
administering simultaneous mandibular blocks. Our STA device will
produce targeted numbness to a single tooth without numbing the lip
or tongue. The STA also offers benefits and advantages that make it
faster, easier and more predictable to administer dental anesthesia
when compared with current techniques. While the periodontal
ligament injection has been around for some time, there has been no
effective technology that allows it to be performed painlessly,
safely and predictably until now. We believe that a device which
allows dentists to effectively anesthetize a single tooth will
greatly enhance the productivity of dental practices and, when
combined with the painless injection capabilities already present
in our CompuDent system, such a device should represent a
compelling value in the marketplace." As with the Company's
CompuDent system, the STA device will generate recurring revenues
from disposable handpieces. CompuFlo Computer Controlled Infusion
Pump In December 2005, Milestone Scientific announced that it had
begun the process of obtaining U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) acceptance for the marketing and sale of its CompuFlo
Computer Controlled Infusion Pump by submitting its 510(k)
Premarket Notification to the FDA. The CompuFlo system enhances the
utility of the typical infusion pump by utilizing pressure feedback
data to monitor and regulate the delivery to patients of
medications and other fluids, and the submission of the 510(k)
marks Milestone's first step in the commercialization of its
patented CompuFlo technology. "We are very excited about the filing
of our 510(k) Premarket Notification with the FDA, because we have
long believed that the Company's greatest market opportunities will
derive from the utilization of its CompuFlo technology in the
medical field," continued Osser. "Dr. Mark Hochman, Milestone's
Director of Clinical Affairs, has identified a number of
high-revenue opportunities in the administration of local
anesthesia where safety is of paramount concern. We plan to
initially target the $200 million annual market for epidural
injections that are administered to over 3.2 million women in the
U.S. each year during childbirth procedures. Epidural injections
are also used in the treatment of low back pain, as well as pain in
the lower extremities. CompuFlo's pressure sensing technology
clearly identifies the epidural space for the doctor, thereby
greatly reducing the risks of paralysis and other complications
that can occur when physicians attempt to locate the epidural space
using tactile senses." When administering epidural injections, it
is critical to recognize the risks associated with the introduction
of potentially neurotoxic substances into the subarachnoid space,
from which 40% of spinal fluid is produced. If local anesthesia is
injected into this space, instead of the epidural space, the
patient may face a lifetime of continuing agony due to adhesive
arachnoiditis. This represents a potential risk for any patient
undergoing an epidural injection today, because doctors must rely
upon tactile "feel" to identify the epidural space. Clinical
studies using Milestone's CompuFlo Computer Controlled Infusion
Pump in the administration of epidural anesthesia have provided
highly encouraging results. In a presentation to the 2005 Annual
Meeting of the International Anesthesia Research Society last
October, Dr. Oscar Ghelber, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology
at the University of Texas Health Science Center (Houston), noted
that existing epidural techniques use subjective feedback to
identify the epidural space, while the CompuFlo technology provides
precise and objective feedback and also allows anesthesiologists to
use both hands to advance and direct the needle, thereby making it
easier to perform this task. Dr. Ghelber further advised the
meeting that CompuFlo accurately identified the epidural space in
100% of the cases tested in his pilot study. "While it is
impossible to predict the timing and content of an FDA response to
our 510(k) submission," continued Osser, "we believe that, because
of the risks associated with current epidural injection techniques,
CompuFlo has the potential to become a 'standard of care' within
the anesthesiology profession, with applications in other pain
management procedures as well." Summary "Of course, pursuit of
these strategic initiatives, which we believe have the potential to
dramatically increase Milestone's long-term revenue and earnings
potential, involves expenditures that penalize near-term financial
results," continued Osser. "Nonetheless, based upon information
currently available to management, including growing acceptance of
the SafetyWand(R) -- our safety engineered sharps protection device
designed to comply with OSHA regulations under the Federal Needle
Stick Safety Act - among leading dentists, we believe the Company
has the potential to become cash-flow- positive as 2006
progresses." To accelerate becoming cash-flow-positive, which was
not achieved in 2005, the Company has instituted an immediate
$30,000 per person reduction in annual cash compensation to its
President, Chief Financial Officer and Director of Professional
Relations, and a $10,000 reduction in the cash compensation of the
Chief Operating Officer. (The COO already receives $20,000 of his
compensation in stock, and the CEO receives half of his
compensation in stock.) These cash compensation reductions will be
offset by grants to such individuals, subject to Stockholder
approval, of restricted stock with the same value. "With
approximately $2.5 million currently in the bank, we believe the
financial resources available to the Company will be adequate to
achieve our short- and long-term strategic goals," concluded Osser.
Osser also noted that Milestone expects to timely file its Annual
Report on Form 10-KSB by the March 31, 2006 due date. About
Milestone Scientific Inc. Milestone Scientific Inc. is the
developer, manufacturer and marketer of CompuMed(R) and
CompuDent(R) computer controlled local anesthetic delivery systems.
These systems comprise a microprocessor controlled drive unit as
well as The Wand(R) handpiece, a single patient use product that is
held in a pen- like manner for injections. The Company also sells
the SafetyWand(R), which incorporates engineered sharps injury
protection features to aid in the prevention of accidental
needlesticks. Milestone has also developed proprietary consumer
(Ionic White) and professional (CoolBlue) teeth whitening systems
that were introduced to the market in early 2005. In 2001,
Milestone Scientific received broad United States patent protection
on an enabling technology for computer controlled, pressure
sensitive infusion, perfusion, suffusion and aspiration, which
provides real time displays of pressures, fluid densities and flow
rates, that advances the delivery and removal of a wide array of
fluids. Development of this CompuFlo technology is currently
underway. The Company is headquartered in Livingston, New Jersey,
and its common stock trades on the American Stock Exchange under
the symbol "MSS". This press release contains forward-looking
statements regarding the timing and financial impact of the
Milestone's ability to implement its business plan, expected
revenues and future success. These statements involve a number of
risks and uncertainties and are based on assumptions involving
judgments with respect to future economic, competitive and market
conditions and future business decisions, all of which are
difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many of which are
beyond Milestone's control. Some of the important factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those
indicated by the forward-looking statements are general economic
conditions, failure to achieve expected revenue growth, changes in
our operating expenses, adverse patent rulings, FDA or legal
developments, competitive pressures, changes in customer and market
requirements and standards, and the risk factors detailed from time
to time in Milestone's periodic filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, including without limitation, Milestone's
Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31, 2004.
The forward looking-statements in this press release are based upon
management's reasonable belief as of the date hereof. Milestone
undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any
forward-looking statements for any reason. CONTACT Leonard Osser,
CEO Milestone Scientific Inc. (973) 535-2717; (973) 535-2829 (Fax)
Web site: http://www.milesci.com/ DATASOURCE: Milestone Scientific
Inc. CONTACT: Leonard Osser, CEO of Milestone Scientific Inc.,
+1-973-535-2717; Fax: +1-973-535-2829 Web site:
http://www.milesci.com/
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