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WoundSource Reports on the Role of NovaBay's NeutroPhase® in Treatment of 'Flesh-Eating' Infections
[April 17, 2014]

WoundSource Reports on the Role of NovaBay's NeutroPhase® in Treatment of 'Flesh-Eating' Infections


EMERYVILLE, Calif. --(Business Wire)--

NovaBay® Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE MKT: NBY), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, today announced that WoundSource™ has highlighted NovaBay's NeutroPhase wound cleanser in a recent blog posting. The blog explains why NeutroPhase can play an important role in treating life-threatening necrotizing fasciitis, or 'flesh-eating' infections.

"WoundSource is a leading source of clinically reviewed wound care product information," said Dr. Ron Najafi, CEO of NovaBay. "We're very pleased that it has recognized NeutroPhase's potential to help treat these terrible infections."

In the blog posting, Dr. Bruce Ruben, founder and medical director of Encompass HealthCare in West Bloomfield, Michigan, describes new findings about "the vicious and deadly world of necrotizing fasciitis, the ghastly 'flesh-eating disease' that's been widely reported by the media."

As Dr. Ruben explains, "the main culprit in the infection is a very common bacterium that may be harmlessly colonizing on your skin right now called Group A streptococcus (GAS)."

In rare cases, however, the bacteria get into the deeper layers of the skin through a cut or scrape. There, as scientists have recently discovered, the microbes can produce toxins that impair the immune system's ability to fight the infection. As a result, the bacteria can spread rapidly along the connective tissues that cover the muscles, "leaving dead, necrotic tissue in their wake," Dr. Ruben writes.

About 25-30 percent of patients die, even with aggressive treatment. Many lose arms, legs or other body parts, because doctors have no choice but to cut off the dead tissue. "What makes these infections so ghastly are the disfiguring surgical excisions, amputations and scarring patients are left with if they survive," writes Dr. Ruben.

There is reason for optimism, though, Dr. Ruben adds. Because the toxins areso important in enabling the rapid spread of the bacteria, neutralizing those toxins can be crucial is fighting the disease. That's why NovaBay's NeutroPhase is promising. As Dr. Ruben writes, "NeutroPhase, a 0.01% pure hypochlorous acid saline solution with no bleach impurities, has been shown in extensive in vitro testing to kill bacteria in seconds and has the ability to neutralize toxins generated by GAS."



In fact, NeutroPhase has already been used successfully in the treatment of patients with 'flesh-eating' infections at Seton Medical Center in Daly City, California, as described in a recent paper in the journal WOUNDS. None of the 17 patients treated to date has died. None has even lost a limb or any other body part. "We believe that NeutroPhase will become the new standard of care in treating these devastating infections," said Dr. Najafi.

About NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc.: Going Beyond Antibiotics®


NovaBay Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on addressing the global unmet therapeutic needs of the localized and topical anti-infective market.

About NeutroPhase®

NeutroPhase® is a 510(k)-cleared wound cleanser and is intended for use under the supervision of healthcare professionals for cleansing and removal of foreign material, including: microorganisms and debris from wounds; cleaning minor cuts, minor burns, superficial abrasions, and minor irritations of the skin; as well as moistening absorbent wound dressings. It is also intended for moistening and debriding acute and chronic dermal lesions, such as: Stage I-IV pressure ulcers, stasis ulcers, leg ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers, post surgical wounds, first and second degree burns, as well as grafted and donor sites.

Forward-looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements and opinions, which are based upon management's current expectations, assumptions, estimates, projections and beliefs. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the general use of antibiotics in the United States and NovaBay's possible effect on that use. The words "expect," "potential," "believe" and "will" are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or achievements to be materially different and adverse from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to difficulties or delays in development, clinical trial, regulatory approval, production and marketing of the company's product candidates, unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate therapeutic efficacy of the product candidates, the uncertainty of patent protection for the company's intellectual property or trade secrets, the company's ability to obtain additional financing as necessary and unanticipated research and development and other costs. Other risks relating to NovaBay and Aganocide compounds, including risks that could cause results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements in this press release, are detailed in NovaBay's latest Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, especially under the heading "Risk Factors." The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of this date, and NovaBay disclaims any intent or obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement except as required by law.

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