TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (AP) -- Emisphere Technologies Inc. -- which develops oral versions of injected drugs, such as insulin for diabetes -- on Tuesday posted a wider fourth-quarter loss on increased research and development costs.

The company's quarterly loss deepened to $9.2 million, or 39 cents per share, from $8.7 million, or 47 cents per share, in the prior-year period. Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expected a loss of 40 cents per share, according to a poll.

Revenue slid to $155,000 from $1.8 million in the year-ago period.

Operating expenses rose 10 percent during the period to $9.8 million as research and development costs jumped 25 percent to $5.2 million.

For the full-year, Emisphere narrowed its loss to $18.1 million, or 81 cents per share, from $37.5 million, or $2.04 per share, in the prior year. Revenue for the year grew to $3.5 million from $2 million in 2004.

Chairman and Chief Executive Michael M. Goldberg noted that the company has two products set to begin "pivotal" late-stage, Phase III clinical trials this year: oral salmon calcitonin to treat the bone disease osteoporosis and oral heparin to prevent blood clots.