Avivagen publishes evidence for natural alternative to antibiotic use in livestock

2014-10-31

(Press-News.org) Today the leading journal PLOS ONE published research that provides underlying scientific support for a fundamentally new type of natural alternative to the use of antibiotics in livestock feeds for growth promotion and disease prevention. The paper is the result of work by both independent and company scientists. Avivagen Inc. is a wellness company developing and delivering products that support and enhance the health and quality of life for animals and the people who care for them.

The discovery that the product formed by full, spontaneous oxidation of beta-carotene, termed OxC-Beta, can beneficially support immune function comes at a time when stakeholders across the globe, including national health regulators, are looking to avoid usage of antibiotics in livestock due to concerns they pose threats to public health.

In-feed trials of OxC-beta appear to be gaining attention from the livestock industry due to emerging evidence that this natural product may be a safe, effective and affordable alternative to antibiotics.

The peer-reviewed, scientific journal article detailing the biological activities of the fully-oxidized carotenoid technology is entitled "Biologically Active Polymers from Spontaneous Carotenoid Oxidation: A New Frontier in Carotenoid Activity." PLOS ONE is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access, online publication that reports on primary research from all scientific disciplines after rigorous peer review for technical soundness.

The article reports on the novel discoveries made by Avivagen scientists and collaborators about the biological activities of products obtained from the full, spontaneous oxidation of carotenoid compounds. Typical examples of carotenoids include common health and feed supplements such as beta-carotene, astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, lutein and lycopene.

Although carotenoids are popularly believed to act as antioxidants, Avivagen's discoveries bring to light the ability of these compounds to be totally transformed by spontaneous reaction with oxygen into entirely different natural products – fully-oxidized carotenoids such as OxC-beta – that appear to have beneficial effects upon immune function. Of particular note is the previously unrecognized and predominant presence of oxygen-copolymer products that are believed to account for the majority of the immunological activity.

The PLOS ONE article describes the ability of OxC-beta to prime the immune system to more effectively respond to microbial challenges. Specific results on immune receptor levels, cytokine levels and phagocytic activity provide mechanistic and function-based evidence of OxC-beta-enhanced innate immunity. Furthermore, the article notes that the effects of fully-oxidized carotenoids may explain the epidemiological evidence for benefits from diets rich in carotenoid-containing fruits and vegetables and the corresponding lack of consistent efficacy from direct dietary supplementation with intact beta-carotene.

Dr. Graham Burton, Director Commercialization Science and co-founder of Avivagen is a co-author of the paper and commented "We're very pleased to have our manuscript published by PLOS ONE, which is one of the world's leading peer-reviewed journals. We believe the publication of this work confirms our assessment that Avivagen's discoveries may have important implications for animal and human health."

Cameron Groome, C.E.O. and President of Avivagen also commented "We believe peer-reviewed publications are important to Avivagen, as they help establish the scientific validity of our products. We look forward to our team and collaborators publishing future manuscripts concerning the properties of OxC-beta and the benefits from its use in companion and livestock animals."

The paper was authored by James B. Johnston, James G. Nickerson, Janusz Daroszewski, Trevor J. Mogg and Graham W. Burton. The article was published on October 31, 2014, and is available via hyperlink from the Avivagen site at http://www.avivagen.com or http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0111346. The journal PLOS ONE is a non-profit organization of scientists and physicians committed to marking the world's scientific and medical literature a freely available public resource. By providing open public access to publications, permitting published papers to be of any length and avoiding editor biases, PLOS ONE has become the largest scientific journal in the world.

INFORMATION:

About Avivagen Inc. Avivagen Inc. is a publicly-listed life sciences company trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol "VIV" and OTC Pink under the ticker symbol "CHEXF." The Company's goal is to develop and deliver scientifically-proven solutions that can truly benefit companion and production animals by employing natural mechanisms for maintaining good health. Targeted markets include Livestock Productivity and Pet Wellness. Avivagen is based in partnership facilities of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) - in Ottawa, Ontario and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. For more information, visit http://www.avivagen.com.

About OxC-beta Avivagen's proprietary and patent-protected technology is based on its discoveries concerning carotenoid antioxidants. The novel natural compounds discovered by Avivagen support the body's own systems to maintain and enhance health, particularly by supporting immune function. Avivagen's commercial-stage application of its technology is Fully-Oxidized beta-Carotene (OxC-beta). OxC-beta compounds occur naturally as carotenoid oxidation products in vegetation, but in minute amounts. They have been developed to support the health of companion animals and for use in the global food animal market. Research results indicate OxC-beta supports innate immune function, which can help maintain good health. In pets, OxC-beta supports overall vitality and energy, mobility and joint function, skin, coat and gut. Results observed in food animals have included healthier growth, better utilization of feed and decreased morbidity. In food animals, it is intended that use of OxC-beta avoids the feeding of antibiotics. Avivagen's commercial products are OxC-beta for livestock, Vivamune™ Health Chews and Oximunol™ Chewables.

About OxC-beta for Livestock OxC-beta for Livestock is available as a 10% pre-mix sold in 1.0 or 5.0 Kg quantities for parts-per-million addition to animal feeds, in accordance with Avivagen or producer-developed protocols. In past studies, OxC-beta has been shown to support health or growth in species such as chicken, pigs, cattle and fish. OxC-beta for livestock is currently available for commercial sale in the Kingdom of Thailand.

About Vivamune™ Health Chews – For dogs and cats Vivamune™ Health Chews, containing Avivagen's proprietary active ingredients, are scientifically-formulated chews for dogs and cats. Vivamune™ Health Chews work with a pet's own immune system to maintain overall health and well-being. They are sold in re-sealable packages of 30 chews and are currently available in the United States by ordering on-line at http://www.vivamunehealth.com.

About Oximunol™ Chewables – For dogs Oximunol™ Chewables are scientifically-formulated chewable tablets that contain Avivagen's proprietary, patented active ingredient OxC-beta. OxC-beta has been shown to stimulate innate cellular immunity and may thereby help to maintain overall health and well-being. Oximunol™ Chewables are distributed by Bayer Healthcare LLC and are available through veterinarians for dogs of all ages in the United States.

Permanent Non-Surgical Sterilization of Female Mammals Avivagen has optioned worldwide exclusive rights to a technology for the permanent and non-surgical sterilization of female mammals. A proof-of-concept trial in an indicative species has been started in order to demonstrate whether the technology appears to be safe and effective. It is expected that a patent application covering World Trade Organization countries will be pursued and that technological details will be made available when that patent application is published. Further information will be disclosed as deemed prudent or as required.

Forward Looking Statements This news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon the current expectations of management. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties associated with the business of Avivagen Inc. and the environment in which the business operates. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions "aim", "anticipated", "appear", "believe", "could", "estimated", "expected", "if", "intended", "goal", "hope", "likely", "may", "plan", "possibly", "potentially", "seem", "should", "whether", "will", "would" and similar expressions. Statements about the journal PLOS ONE, the research conducted by Avivagen, the current or future potential uses of the technologies described in this news release, including their importance to animal or human health, their safety, efficacy or affordability, their gaining industry attention and whether published research helps to establish the validity of OxC-beta are all forward looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: the ability of Avivagen to continue as a going concern; the results of Avivagen's ongoing livestock trials may not be positive; the benefits from positive study results may not sufficient; even if the results of Avivagen's livestock trials are positive, there is no guarantee that Avivagen's products will be commercially viable and successful or that requisite regulatory approvals will be obtained; the timing and results of livestock trials may be delayed or may not be completed at all; and Avivagen's intellectual property rights may prove inadequate to protect its inventions. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Avivagen assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For more information: Avivagen Inc.
Cameron Groome, CEO & President
100 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1A 0R6
Head Office Phone: 613-949-8164
Website: http://www.avivagen.com
Copyright © 2014 Avivagen

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