Biomerica Receives Notice of Allowance from Mexican Patent Office for Irritable Bowel Syndrome Food Sensitivity Testing & Treatment

Rhea-AI Summary

Biomerica (NASDAQ: BMRA) has announced a significant milestone with the Mexican Patent Office granting a notice of allowance for a patent on its InFoods^® technology, addressing Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). This technology helps identify specific foods that may trigger IBS symptoms for patients, thus offering a personalized dietary solution. The recent patent joins similar protections in Japan and Korea, enhancing Biomerica's global presence. CEO Zack Irani stated that this development validates their unique approach to IBS treatment and is part of their strategy to expand intellectual property internationally.

Positive

• Issuance of Mexican patent for InFoods^®, enhancing global patent coverage.
• InFoods^® technology identifies patient-specific foods that trigger IBS symptoms.

Negative

• None.

• IBS is one of the most important gastrointestinal disorders in Mexico, with a prevalence of around 16% ^[1] (approximately 20 million patients)
  
  
• Broadens InFoods^® global patent coverage with recently allowed patents in Korea and Japan
  

IRVINE, Calif., June 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biomerica, Inc. (NASDAQ: BMRA) today announced that the Mexican Patent Office has issued a notice of allowance for Biomerica’s patent application pertaining to the Company’s InFoods^® technology platform that offers a revolutionary approach in the treatment of patients suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (“IBS”). Specifically, this allowed application contains claims that broadly cover the method that enables physicians to identify patient specific foods, such as milk, shrimp, broccoli, etc., that, when removed from the patient’s diet, may alleviate or improve an individual’s IBS symptoms, including constipation, diarrhea, bloating, severe cramping, pain and indigestion.

“We’re excited to have received this allowed patent in Mexico which provides broad protection around tests and methods used to determine patient-specific foods that may trigger IBS symptoms, and includes additional claims that cover a diagnostic-guided therapy for IBS patients,” said Zack Irani, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Biomerica. “Studies show that food can heighten inflammation in the body, and we believe the InFoods^® technology can identify patient-specific foods that often trigger IBS symptoms. This Mexican patent is part of our ongoing international strategy to protect the intellectual property for our unique IBS diagnostic guided therapy, and joins recently issued Japanese patent #6681907, and Korean patent #10-1887545 covering compositions, devices and methods for IBS sensitivity testing.”

Mr. Irani concluded, “Biomerica has additional international and U.S. patent applications in prosecution related to the InFoods^® IBS product, as well as multiple applications that cover the use of our InFoods^® Technology in other diseases. In addition, we have filed digital health patents that cover digital applications that will assist patients with managing their dietary restrictions as defined by the InFoods^® technology. We believe the allowance of our Mexico patent further validates the strength of our technology platform and enhances our efforts to enable physicians to offer new and better therapies to patients.”

About Biomerica (NASDAQ: BMRA)
Biomerica, Inc. (www.biomerica.com) is a global biomedical technology company that develops, patents, manufactures and markets advanced diagnostic and therapeutic products used at the point of care (in home and in physicians' offices) and in hospital/clinical laboratories for detection and/or treatment of medical conditions and diseases. The Company's products are designed to enhance the health and well-being of people, while reducing total healthcare costs. Biomerica’s primary focus is on gastrointestinal and inflammatory diseases where the Company has multiple diagnostic and therapeutic products in development.

About InFoods^®
The Biomerica InFoods^® IBS product is designed to allow physicians to identify patient-specific foods (e.g., eggs, broccoli, wheat, potatoes, pork, etc.), that when removed from the diet, may alleviate or improve an individual's IBS symptoms including, but not limited to, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, pain and indigestion. This patented, diagnostic-guided therapy is designed to allow for a patient-specific, guided dietary regimen to improve IBS outcomes. A point-of-care version of the product is being developed to allow physicians to perform the test in-office using a finger stick blood sample, while a clinical lab version of the product is expected to be the first for which the company will seek regulatory approval. A billable CPT code that can be used by both clinical labs and physicians' offices is already available for InFoods^® products. Since the InFoods^® product is a diagnostic-guided therapy, and not a drug, it has no drug type side effects. An estimated 45 million people in America currently suffer from IBS making it a leading cause for patient doctor visits.

¹ Luis Alberto Sánchez-Vargas, Karina Guadalupe Hernández-Flores, Francisco Javier Cabrera-Jorge, José María Remes-Troche, Job Reyes-Huerta and Héctor Vivanco-Cid. The Prevalence of Anti-Zein Antibodies: A Comparative Study between Celiac Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome Nutrients 2021, 13(2), 649.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. Certain information included in this press release (as well as information included in oral statements or other written statements made or to be made by Biomerica) contains statements that are forward-looking, such as statements relating to the efficacy of the Company’s tests, FDA clearance of the Company’s products, EUA clearance, the rapidity of testing results, uniqueness of the Company’s products, test result accuracy of products, pricing of the Company’s test kits, demand for domestic or international orders, potential revenues from the sale of current or future products, availability of the Company’s test kits, the size of the markets the Company’s products may address, the degree of protection from competition patents may provide the Company and actual patent protection on any of the Company’s products or technologies. Such forward-looking information involves important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect anticipated results in the future, including, without limitation: results of studies testing the efficacy of the Company’s tests, including its COVID-19 tests, InFoods tests and other products; regulatory approvals necessary prior to commercialization of the Company’s products; availability of the Company’s test kits and other products; capacity, resource and other constraints on our suppliers; dependence on our third party manufacturers; dependence on international shipping carriers; governmental import/export regulations; demand for our various tests and other products; competition from other similar products and from competitors that have significantly more financial and other resources available to them; governmental virus control regulations that make it difficult or impossible for the company to maintain current operations; regulations and regulatory clearance for the company’s manufacturing facilities and other clearances needed to manufacture and sell a medical related product, and the Company’s ability to obtain patent protection on any aspects of its rapid test technologies or other products. Accordingly, such results may differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of Biomerica. Additionally, potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, fluctuations in the Company's operating results due to revenue fluctuations, drop in demand for the Company’s products, changes in its business model and expansion plans, downturns in international and or national economies, the Company's ability to raise additional capital, the competitive environment in which the Company will be competing, and the Company's dependence on strategic relationships. The Company is under no obligation to update any forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

Corporate Contact:

John Nesbett /Jennifer Belodeau
IMS Investor Relations
203.972.9200
jnesbett@institutionalms.com 

FAQ

What is the significance of Biomerica's new patent in Mexico?

The new patent broadens Biomerica's global patent coverage for its InFoods^® technology, which addresses patient-specific dietary management for IBS.

How does InFoods^® technology help IBS patients?

InFoods^® technology helps identify foods that may worsen IBS symptoms, allowing for personalized dietary adjustments.

What other countries have granted patents for Biomerica's InFoods^® technology?

In addition to Mexico, Biomerica's InFoods^® technology has received patent allowances in Japan and Korea.

What is the main focus of Biomerica's product development?

Biomerica primarily focuses on developing diagnostics and therapeutics for gastrointestinal and inflammatory diseases.

What is the prevalence of IBS in Mexico?

IBS affects approximately 16% of the Mexican population, translating to around 20 million patients.