New U.S. Patent Issued for Non-Invasive Fat Assessment Recites System Claims and Further Strengthens ENDRA's Strong Portfolio of Thermoacoustic Intellectual Property
ANN ARBOR, MI / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2018 / ENDRA Life Sciences Inc. ("ENDRA") (NASDAQ: NDRA), a developer of enhanced ultrasound technologies, has been awarded U.S. Patent Number 9,980,677 from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO") for a non-invasive fat assessment system in its Thermo-Acoustic Enhanced Ultrasound (TAEUS™) clinical products, the first of which is expected to be deployed in the second half of 2018. This third patent complements the company's recently granted U.S. Patent Number 9,888,880 from the USPTO for non-invasive fat assessment by methods and systems expected to be used in TAEUS products.
The newly issued patent covers a system for calculating fractional fat concentration in the human body with multiple thermoacoustic measurements. The patent supports ENDRA's proprietary approach to assessing fat content in tissue and supports the company's commercialization of a clinical application for non-invasive assessment of liver fat. This approach utilizes ultrasound imaging to target a volume of tissue and then obtains thermoacoustic measurements of tissue composition.
The development and protection of intellectual property ("IP") in thermoacoustic clinical applications is a key area of focus for ENDRA. To further that goal, the company currently has two patent agents embedded within its applied science team, working to define and secure IP to support ENDRA's innovations. As of today, ENDRA's IP portfolio totals 39 patents and patent applications that are in preparation, filed, issued or licensed, encompassing a range of device and method-focused IP in targeted global markets.
"ENDRA's recently-issued patent directly supports our plans to commercialize a cost-effective and non-invasive clinical application focused on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease," explained ENDRA's Chief Technology Officer, Michael Thornton. "Patent Number 9,980,677 further supports and is complementary to our recent patent award in February and we remain diligent in protecting and strengthening our IP portfolio as we move closer towards commercialization of our TAEUS clinical platform," concluded Thornton.
"As we enter this critical phase of our development, our confidence is further supported by the recent positive developments and interest with drugs in the liver space specifically targeting Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis, or NASH," said ENDRA's Chief Executive Officer, Francois Michelon. "Given that our technology is strategically positioned at the forefront of liver disease, we believe this progress in therapeutics only increases the value proposition of our TAEUS diagnostic platform," concluded Michelon.
U.S. Patent Number 9,980,677 Abstract
A system for estimating fractional fat content of an object of interest. An energy emitter is used to direct an energy signal toward the region of interest, wherein the region of interest has an object of interest, a reference with known properties, and a boundary area with one or more boundary locations between the object of interest and the reference. Next, a plurality of thermoacoustic or ultrasonic transducers is used to receive a plurality of thermoacoustic bipolar signals from the one or more boundary locations, wherein the thermoacoustic bipolar signals are induced by the energy signal. A machine configured to accept data from the energy emitter and the plurality of thermoacoustic or ultrasonic transducers and calculate a fat concentration that is a function of a difference between two peaks of the thermoacoustic bipolar signal at each respective boundary location and a distance or distances between each respective boundary location.
About ENDRA Life Sciences Inc.
ENDRA Life Sciences Inc. ("ENDRA") (NASDAQ: NDRA) is a developer of enhanced ultrasound technologies. ENDRA's Photo-Acoustic Nexus-128 system is currently used by leading global medical researchers to screen and modify disease models with high image quality and volume scanning speed. ENDRA is developing a next generation Thermo-Acoustic Enhanced UltraSound (TAEUS™) system to enable clinicians to visualize human tissue composition, function and temperature in ways previously possible only with CT & MRI - at a fraction of the cost, and at the point-of-care. ENDRA's first TAEUS application will focus on the quantification of fat in the liver, for early detection and monitoring of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, which affects over 1 billion people globally, representing an estimated $13 billion global ultrasound market opportunity. ENDRA's goal is to bring new capabilities to ultrasound - thereby broadening access to better healthcare. For more information, please visit www.endrainc.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
All statements in this release that are not based on historical fact are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "goal," "estimate," "anticipate," or other comparable terms. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding the adequacy of protections afforded to us by the patents that we own and the success we may have in, and the cost to us of, maintaining, enforcing and defending those patents; expectations concerning ENDRA's ability to secure regulatory approvals; anticipated product pricing; expectations with respect to current and future partnerships; estimates of the timing of future events and achievements; and expectations concerning ENDRA's business strategy. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, as a result of various factors including, among others, the following: our ability to develop a commercially feasible technology; receipt of necessary regulatory approvals; our ability to find and maintain development partners; market acceptance of our technology; the amount and nature of competition in our industry; our ability to protect our intellectual property; and the other risks and uncertainties described in ENDRA's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements made in this release speak only as of the date of this release, and ENDRA assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in expectations, except as otherwise required by law.
Company Contact:
David Wells
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(734) 997-0464
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www.endrainc.com
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SOURCE: ENDRA Life Sciences Inc.