OTTAWA, Jan. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avivagen Inc. (TSXV:VIV) (OTC Pink:CHEXF) (Avivagen or the Corporation), a Corporation with a proven and commercially-ready, patent-protected product intended to replace the use of antibiotics added to livestock feeds as growth promoters, announces the completion of a trial testing OxC-beta™ Livestock 10% (“OxC-beta”) in dairy cattle conducted by COFCO Biotech of Beijing, China. Because antibiotics are not widely used to enhance productivity in dairy cattle during lactation, this trial has the potential to expand market opportunities of OxC-beta beyond replacement of antibiotics used as growth promoters.
Results demonstrated that supplementation with OxC-beta significantly increased protein content of milk by 15.8% and improved several other indicators of milk quality when compared to controls. By improving milk quality, OxC-beta has the potential to provide a benefit to both producers and consumers. Dairy producers receive a premium for high quality milk, which means OxC-beta can help improve the profitability and sustainability of their operations while consumers can benefit from increased nutritional value of the milk.
Dr. Hongyu Zhang, Assistant General Manager and Product Director at COFCO Biotech and the scientist responsible for oversight of the trial commented: “These results demonstrate that dietary supplementation with OxC-beta benefited milk quality. COFCO Biotech considers these findings positive and we see strong potential for OxC-beta in the Chinese dairy industry.”
Dr. Jamie Nickerson, Director of Product Validation at Avivagen Inc. provided further insight: “The results of this trial have important ramifications regarding expanding the scope of OxC-beta product development and application strategies. This is the first trial to test the product in an adult ruminant. The fact that we observe clear benefits in milk quality is strong evidence that the OxC-beta product survives passage through the rumen. Thus, the results not only support the use of OxC-beta for dairy cattle but they also highlight that use in other high-value ruminant species, such as beef cattle, is also feasible. Furthermore, this trial is the first to demonstrate that OxC-beta is capable of improving productivity parameters beyond growth rate, feed efficiency, and weight gain, indicating the technology has a broader range of potential applications besides just promoting growth.”
Mr. Kym Anthony, President and CEO of Avivagen commented “As an emerging company with a commercial stage technology we are committed to conducting high quality scientifically valid research. We feel that COFCO Biotech also places a high value on scientific research and we are pleased to have collaborated with their scientists on protocol development and conduct of this trial.”
The trial ran for 35-days at a commercial dairy near Beijing, China and evaluated two doses of OxC-beta for the ability to improve productivity and milk quality in lactating dairy cows. The potential benefits of dietary supplementation with OxC-beta were assessed by comparison to a non-supplemented control group.
About Avivagen
Avivagen Inc., a public Corporation traded on the TSXV under the symbol VIV, is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, and operates in partnership facilities of the National Research Council of Canada in Ottawa and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. For more information, visit www.avivagen.com.
About OxC-beta™ Technology and OxC-beta™ Livestock
Avivagen’s OxC-beta™ technology is derived from Avivagen discoveries about carotenoids, compounds that give certain fruits and vegetables their bright colors. Applications include use as a non-antibiotic means of maintaining optimal health and growth. OxC-beta™ Livestock is a proprietary product shown to be effective and economic in replacing the antibiotics commonly added to livestock feeds. OxC-beta™ Livestock is currently registered and available for sale in the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand.
Avivagen’s OxC-beta™ Livestock product is safe, effective and could fulfill the global mandate to remove all in-feed antibiotics as growth promoters. Numerous international livestock trials with poultry and swine using OxC-beta™ Livestock have proven that the product performs as well as, and, sometimes, in some aspects, better than in-feed antibiotics.
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 “could”, “expect”, “if”, “intend”, “may”, “plan”, “should”, “whether”, “will”, “would” and similar expressions or opinions of management. Statements relating to expanded market opportunities, the potential for OxC-beta to provide a benefit to both producers and consumers and improve the profitability/sustainability of producers’ operations, the potential for OxC-beta in the Chinese dairy industry, expanding the scope of OxC-beta product development and application strategies, the feasibility of OxC-beta for use in other high-value ruminant species, such as beef cattle and the range of potential applications for OxC-beta , are all forward-looking statements.
Avivagen faces risks and uncertainties in connection with its business, including, but not limited to, risks relating to the following: Avivagen’s ability to continue as a going concern; the results of the trial described above are from a single trial and may not be indicative of results in all circumstances; many factors, some of which are outside of Avivagen’s control, could cause events and results to differ materially from those stated above; the results of the trial described above may not translate into the anticipated benefits to producers and consumers; Ox-C beta may not achieve market acceptance in the manner anticipated by Avivagen; and the use of OxC-beta in the dairy industry in China or any other country and the development and use of OxC-beta for other applications or species are all subject to receipt of applicable regulatory approvals which may not be obtained in a timely manner or at all .
Readers should also refer to the risk factors in Avivagen’s annual information form and other securities law filings from time to time. Accordingly, readers should not place undue or even any 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.
Drew Basek
Director of Investor Relations
100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6
Phone: 416-540-0733
E-mail: d.basek@avivagen.com
Kym Anthony
Chief Executive Officer
100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6
Head Office Phone: 613-949-8164
Website: www.avivagen.com
| Copyright © 2017 Avivagen Inc. OxC-beta™ is a trademark of Avivagen Inc. |