3 Feb 2009 12:39
3 February 2009
PROVEXIS PLC
("Provexis" or the "Company")
R&D Pipeline Update
Provexis plc, the life-science business that discovers, develops and licenses scientifically-proven functional food, medical food and dietary supplement technologies, is pleased to update shareholders on key developments in its research and development pipeline.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has approved a clinical trial dossier for efficacy testing of the Company's NSP#3G plantain technology, allowing the commencement of a two-centre placebo-controlled trial in Crohn's disease patients. The trial, which will commence at the beginning of March and continue for 15 months, will focus on maintenance of remission.
A fifty-person trial comparing the Company's Fruitflow anti-thrombotic heart health technology with aspirin has commenced and results will be available during summer 2009. Pilot scale trials produced positive results. It was estimated in 2005 that 43 million US adults take aspirin on a daily basis, as part of a heart attack and stroke risk reduction regime and as such, the trial is designed to support commercial initiatives in this substantial market.
The Northwest Regional Development Agency has awarded the Company an initial grant of £100,000 to support research and development of the helicobacter pylori technology which is currently under option from the University of Manchester. H. pylori is a major cause of gastric ulcers and is implicated in the development of gastric cancers. Work to identify and isolate novel intellectual property is currently on track and the Company expects to acquire the technology, subject to positive findings, in late summer.
Stephen Moon, Chief Executive of Provexis plc said:
"This significant progress on a number of fronts in our R&D pipeline continues to underpin shareholder value through targeting major market opportunities and enhances further our reputation in the industry as a leader in the discovery and development of novel and valuable functional and medical food technologies."
ENQUIRIES
Provexis plc Tel.01753 752 290
Stephen Moon, CEO
Ian Ford, FD
Arbuthnot Tel.020 7012 2000
Tom Griffiths
Alasdair Younie
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Provexis (PXS)