OTTAWA, Jan. 15, 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”, or the “Product”) in gestating–lactating sows, conducted by South China Agricultural University located in Guangzhou, China.
Results from the independent study demonstrated that OxC-beta not only benefited sow health but also led to improvements in the health of nursing piglets. Of particular note, OxC-beta-supplemented sows showed less weight loss during lactation and had litters that were 6-7% heavier at weaning compared to sows in the non-supplemented control group. Piglet-weight at weaning is a well-known indicator of future good health and growth performance. Furthermore, in the OxC-beta treated groups there was a 5-6% increase in the number of sows returning to estrus within 7 days post-lactation compared to control, an indication that sows receiving OxC-beta recovered faster following lactation.
Analysis of sow milk revealed a significant increase in milk-lactose content and dose-dependent trends for increased fat, protein and non-fat solids in the OxC-beta-supplemented sows. These improvements in the nutritional content of sow’s milk likely contributed to the improved health and growth of the nursing piglets.
Dr. Jamie Nickerson, Director of Product Validation at Avivagen commented, “We understand that the weaning period is a particularly stressful time in the life of piglets and previous studies have demonstrated the health benefits of directly supplementing the transitional feed of piglets with OxC-beta. The results of the current study demonstrated that we can provide further, indirect, benefits to piglet health by providing OxC-beta to lactating sows. Additionally, the results showed that OxC-beta also benefits the health of sows during the lactation period. The use of OxC-beta in feed of lactating sows represents a new application for the product and is confirming the specific use-adoption cases for our customers.”
The study was conducted at a commercial farm near Guangzhou, China and ran for 51 days beginning on day 85 of gestation and continued through to the end of lactation period, 21 days post-farrowing. The trial consisted of three groups, a non-supplemented control group and two groups receiving dietary supplementation with OxC-beta. There were fifty sows in each treatment group and each sow nursed 10 piglets. OxC-beta was evaluated for the ability to improve the health of sows and their nursing piglets by assessing effects of dietary supplementation in comparison to a non-supplemented control group.
These findings, along with the results from Avivagen’s recent dairy cattle trial, continue to demonstrate the numerous applications and expanding market opportunities for the use of OxC-beta in commercial agriculture, while providing producers and customers with a path to removing antibiotics used as growth promoters from the food chain.
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 pork 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, 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; whether Avivagen or a third party can replicate the results of the trial; whether similar trials will show similar results; whether the results of this trial will assist Avivagen in obtaining regulatory approval; whether the results of this trial will enable Avivagen to commercialize, distribute or sell its products; 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 pork 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
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