Shares of Hythiam, Inc. (HYTM) got a boost on Thursday following a U.S. patent allowance which contains claims using a composition of matter for reducing a person's desire to drink alcohol. The patent will serve to enhance protection of the intellectual property underlying the Company's PROMETA(R) Treatment Program.
Current therapy for Alcohol Dependence is detoxification followed by psychosocial treatment such as cognitive behavior therapy, relapse prevention, and self-help recovery groups, have been the treatment mainstays for alcohol dependence. PROMETA is different from traditional therapies, such as group therapy, abstinence, and behavioral modification, that focus solely on the psychosocial aspects of the dependence. PROMETA focuses on the underlying physiology of the disease and targets the brain receptors thought to play a central role in the disease process. It is designed to address the physical symptoms of dependence, such as cravings, withdrawal, and anxiety. It can also be used as a complement to traditional psychosocial therapies.
The PROMETA Treatment Program is available on an outpatient basis, and does not require long periods away from home or work. Treatment takes place at a physician's office or hospital facility by a doctor who has been trained and licensed to use PROMETA. The initial treatment begins with a 3-day course of prescription medications and nutritional supplements. This is followed by a one-month course of non-addictive, at-home medications and nutritional supplements and education.
Antabuse(TM)(disulfiram) has been prescribed since the 1940s as an aid in maintaining abstinence from alcohol, and most addiction specialists agree that it has clinical utility for some patients. In 1994, the FDA approved oral Revia(TM)(naltrexone), and in 2004, Forest Laboratories' (FRX) Campral(TM)(acamprosate) was approved for treatment of alcohol dependence. Approximately 50% of alcoholic patients relapse within 3 months of treatment and clinical results with currently approved agents underscore the need for new therapies for patients with alcohol dependence.
Disease management programs are also available for cocaine and methamphetamine addiction. The program is designed to help relieve cravings, restore nutritional balance, improve mental clarity and initiate counseling.
There are no currently approved pharmacotherapies for cocaine dependence. However, some drugs have been tested and have demonstrated modest benefits in patients with this condition. Disulfiram, amantadine, tiagabine, topiramate, and baclofen have all been reported to be of possible benefit in cocaine addiction. As with cocaine dependence, there is no currently approved pharmacotherapy for methamphetamine dependence.
According to the Mayo Clinic Proceedings journal, a recent study for methamphetamine addiction, found that 85% of the study's 50 participants adhered to the 4-week treatment program and the majority completed the entire 12-week study even though they were not provided additional medication, specific drug-abuse counseling, or psychotherapy during the 8-week follow-up period. Subjects experienced a statistically significant reduction in cravings for methamphetamine with no adverse events from the treatment. Ninety-seven percent of those who completed the study reported a reduction in frequency of cravings, with an average reduction of 66%. Additionally, a significant reduction of methamphetamine use was also observed.
Under Hythiam's licensing agreements, the Company provides physicians and other licensed treatment providers access to the PROMETA treatment programs, education and training in the implementation and use of the licensed technology and marketing support. The Company receives a fee for the initial training and start-up services associated with new licensing agreements, plus fees for the licensed technology and related services generally on a per patient basis. The term of each contract is generally for one year and is automatically renewable for additional one-year periods. As of September 30, 2007, the Company had approximately 100 licensed commercial sites throughout the United States. The Company has also expanded operations to Europe.
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