Curative Technologies Inc. said Wednesday that it has receiveda notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Officefor a patent covering the use of its platelet derived woundhealing factors.

"We consider it to be very important because we believe itprovides the company with a secured, proprietary positioncovering both our Procuren autologous product, which iscurrently in the market, and our next product, which is ahomologous wound healing product," said John Prior, chieffinancial officer.

Patents also have been allowed by the European Patent Officeand patent offices in several other countries, and will protectCurative Technologies' core Platelet Releasate technology in thearea of wound healing, he said.

Prior is "confident" the East Setauket, N.Y., company will soonhave FDA clearance to start Phase II/III trials of thehomologous product as a treatment for diabetics who suffersevere ulcers that are classified as non-healing wounds. Theproduct is a topical gel, containing growth factors extractedfrom human platelets.

The stock (NASDAQ:CURE) gained 25 cents to $9.75, reversing athree-day fall on news late last week that the FDA had issued awarning notice on procedures used at the company's woundhealing centers.

-- Kris Herbst BioWorld Washington Bureau

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