Avivagen promotes alternative to antibiotics in feed

Sept. 12, 2012, Ottawa, ON – Avivagen Inc., a commercial wellness company, announced that it presented at the prestigious Kansas City Animal Health Investment Forum on August 27, 2012. The conference was attended by over 200 people representing many of the major animal health companies, with a large representation from the Kansas City Corridor, home to more than 220 animal health companies that account for 32% of the $19 billion global animal health industry. Kim Young, vice president of bioscience recruitment, Kansas City Area Development Council, commented “We were very impressed by the caliber and sophistication of the 2012 Investment Forum presenting companies”.

Avivagen was among 13 companies selected to present at the conference, of which only 3 came from outside the U.S. Avivagen’s presentation, delivered by company President Dr. Graham Burton, focused on the global potential of the company’s novel, proprietary OxC-beta product to become an alternative to sub-therapeutic levels of in-feed antibiotics in enhancing health and productivity in food animals. “The Kansas City Animal Health Investment Forum was a valuable opportunity to create awareness among key decision makers in the animal health industry of the features and strengths of our OxC-beta product, as an alternative to address the increasing need to seriously reduce the amount of antibiotics used for growth promotion in animals”, commented Graham Burton. “In 2010 we were fortunate to be selected to present at that edition of the conference. This led ultimately to a distribution agreement with a major animal health company for distribution of our Oximunol™ Chewables for dogs. Similarly, our 2012 showcase presentation has allowed us to meet with key opinion leaders and decision makers for the largest players in the animal health industry. We are now following up on those meetings with an aim to choose an ideal partner to help us commercialize our novel OxC-beta product in the large and growing food animal market. While we are confident of our OxC-beta’s product potential, we cannot guarantee if and when a commercialization partnership will occur.“

About the OxC-beta Livestock Feed Additive

Antibiotics have been used for decades in livestock animal feeds to promote growth and more efficient feed utilization. Considerable concern now exists that this practice contributes to the development of pathological bacteria with acquired resistance to antibiotics used in human medicine. As a result the use of antibiotics in feeds has been banned in Europe and Korea, and other countries are seriously looking to follow suit. Although in the US and Canada antibiotics are still heavily used in feeds, the practice is coming under increasing scrutiny by both consumers and government health agencies alike. The US Federal Drug Administration released a document in 2011 indicating that 80% of all antibiotic use in the US is in agriculture, with feed additives accounting for 75% of this usage. In the past year restrictions have been put in place in the US regarding selected antibiotics. As a non-hormonal, non-antibiotic alternative derived by spontaneous oxidative transformation of the micronutrient ß-carotene, OxC-beta is a novel, proprietary complex of non-vitamin A products discovered, developed and owned by Avivagen. The product achieves its health and productivity benefits through a unique combination of immunological properties. Clinical trials with swine and poultry have shown that low parts-per-million levels of OxC-beta in feed produce results comparable to those of antibiotics. Unlike traditional antibiotics, OxC-beta provides productivity benefits without causing antibiotic resistance, because its action does not involve killing bacteria directly. OxC-beta is cost-competitive with in-feed antibiotics, making it a strong candidate for consideration as a low-risk, veterinary health product alternative for reducing the use of in-feed antibiotics. Growth promotion feed additives for food animals is a multi-billion dollar global market, with target markets including poultry, swine, turkeys, calves, layers, dairy cows and aquaculture.

About Avivagen

Avivagen, a wellness company, is developing and delivering products for animals and humans to assist in optimizing health and daily quality of life. Avivagen is advancing product candidates for the food animal market, companion animal market and various potential human applications. More information can be found at www.avivagen.com.