VANCOUVER, Sept. 13 -- CNW/ AsiaNet ARC Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced today that Dr. Johanne Cashman, Director of Preclinical of Research, published a paper entitled "Camptothecin-loaded Films for the Prevention of Postsurgical Adhesions" in the August 2004 issue of Inflammation Research. "The publication is a significant recognition for ARC," stated Dr.Cashman. "This international journal provides an excellent peer-reviewed forumto showcase the novel research we are conducting at ARC in the development ofinnovative medical therapies for the prevention and treatment of postsurgicaladhesions." Adhesion disease causes dysfunction and pain in millions of patientsworldwide and is a major complication in a high proportion of common surgicalprocedures. It is a complex inflammatory disorder in which tissues thatnormally remain separated in the body grow into each other, usually as aresponse of the tissues to surgical trauma. Dr. Cashman's paper examines thelocal application of camptothecin, a drug with anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties, as an inhibitor of postsurgical adhesion formationin rats. Although there are products currently marketed for the prevention ofsurgical adhesion disease such as films, gels and sprays, these act by onlyphysically separating tissues, and do not affect the underlying inflammatoryprocesses that are responsible for the formation of postsurgical adhesions.Dr. Cashman's investigation concluded that camptothecin-loaded polymeric filmssignificantly reduced the number, severity and extent of adhesions in the ratcecal sidewall model of surgical adhesion disease. Dr. Cashman's research strongly supports ARC's product developmentstrategy of incorporating anti-inflammatory drugs into polymeric barriers forthe prevention and treatment of postsurgical adhesions. To view a copy of Dr. Cashman's research paper, please visitwww.arcpharma.com/_resources/Cashman_InflamRes_2004.pdf or www.birkhauser.ch. About ARC Pharmaceuticals Inc.: ARC is a private biotechnology company focused on the development andcommercialization of device/drug therapies for the treatment of proliferativediseases. The Company's lead product candidates are innovative medicalproducts for the treatment of surgical adhesions. This report may contain certain forward-looking information andstatements concerning the Company's operation, performance and financialcondition, including, in particular, the likelihood of securing licenses orother intellectual property for drug delivery systems and therapeutics for thetreatment of inflammatory and proliferative diseases, the likelihood of thecompletion of the development of new clinical products for the treatment ofinflammatory and proliferative diseases, and the likelihood of completingfinancings. These statements are based upon a number of uncertainties andcontingencies, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Actualresults may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. This document is not intended to be and is not anadvertisement for any securities of the Company. Source: ARC Pharmaceuticals Inc. Contact: Amanda Smith, Corporate Communications, 102-2386 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Phone (604) 626-6264, Email: [email protected] Web: www.arcpharma.com --Distributed by AsiaNet (www.asianetnews.net)----InfoQuest (PP)--