QLT Enters Option Agreement with Mati Therapeutics for Potential Sale of Punctal Plug Delivery System

QLT

announced today that the Company has entered into an exclusive option agreement with Mati Therapeutics Inc. ("Mati"), a development company associated with Robert Butchofsky, QLT's former President & CEO, under which QLT has granted Mati a 90-day option to acquire assets related to QLT's punctal plug drug delivery system ("PPDS") technology (the "Technology") in exchange for $500,000. The option may be extended by Mati for up to three successive 30-day periods upon payment of an additional $100,000 for each extension. Should Mati exercise the option, QLT and Mati will enter into an asset purchase agreement and QLT will be entitled to a closing payment of $750,000, certain milestone payments and a low single digit royalty on world-wide net sales of all products using or developed from the Technology. QLT's proprietary Technology is a minimally invasive drug delivery system for delivering a variety of drugs to the eye through controlled sustained release to the tear film. The Company recently announced that results from two Phase II clinical studies, PPL GLAU 12 and PPL GLAU 13, demonstrated positive trends (with statistically and clinically significant findings)