4 December 2017
Provexis plc
Patent application - Fruitflow® protects against adverse effects of air pollution
Provexis plc ('Provexis' or the 'Company'), the business that develops, licenses and sells the proprietary, scientifically-proven Fruitflow® heart-health functional food ingredient, is delighted to announce the filing of a patent application relating to the use of Fruitflow® in protecting against the adverse effects of air pollution on the body's cardiovascular system.
Recent laboratory work has shown that Fruitflow can reduce the platelet activation caused by airborne particulate matter, such as that from diesel emissions, by approximately one third. The beneficial effects of this reduction can be observed in laboratory models representing healthy subjects as well as in models representing subjects with an underlying cardiovascular problem.
The patent application describes 'a composition comprising a water soluble tomato extract (Fruitflow®) for use in maintaining cardiovascular health, lessening the risk of developing a cardiovascular health problem, or reducing the likelihood of worsening an existing cardiovascular health problem in a subject who is exposed, or is at risk of exposure, to particulate air pollution.'
Uses of Fruitflow® described in the patent application include:
· Maintaining healthy platelet function in the presence of air pollution;
· Maintaining a healthy blood circulation and blood flow in the presence of air pollution;
· Reducing the risk of an adverse cardiovascular condition, such as atherosclerosis or thrombosis, in the presence of particulate matter air pollution;
· Reducing the severity of cardiovascular diseases when exposed to particulate matter; and
· Reducing the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory illness in an air polluted environment.
An international patent application has been filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) system, with the Company seeking to secure patent protection in all major global territories.
The World Health Organization ('WHO') estimates¹ that:
· In 2012 around 1 in 9 deaths were attributed to exposure to air pollution, making it the largest environmental risk factor for ill health;
· An estimated 6.5 million deaths were associated in 2012 with indoor and outdoor air pollution together;
· 92% of the world's population lives in places where air quality levels exceed WHO limits;
· Nearly 2 out of 3 air-pollution-related deaths occur in the WHO's South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions;
· In 2012 72% of outdoor air pollution-related premature deaths were due to ischaemic heart disease and strokes.
Particulate air pollution is related to both natural events - volcanic emissions, dust storms, forest fires - and human activities such as vehicle or machinery emissions. Both types of event result in the suspension of soot, gases and other matter in the air as tiny particles. It has been shown that this particulate matter is able to enter the blood stream and induce cytotoxic and inflammatory responses, and there is a recognized link between exposure to diesel emissions and cardiovascular disease. Particulate matter has been shown to promote arterial thrombosis and atherosclerosis through increased platelet activation, leading to accelerated coronary heart disease and strokes which are the main causes of death from air pollution.
The Company is responsible for filing and maintaining patents and trade marks for Fruitflow® as part of its Alliance Agreement with DSM, and the Company is pursuing a strategy to strengthen the breadth and duration of its patent coverage to maximise the commercial returns that can be achieved from Fruitflow®.
In December 2013 British and international patent applications were filed for the use of Fruitflow® in mitigating exercise-induced inflammation and for promoting recovery from intense exercise, and the resulting patent was granted by the UK IPO in May 2017. Patents are being sought in Europe, the US, China and ten other territories, with the patent application now having entered the national phase, with potential patent protection out to December 2033.
The Company's patent application for Fruit Extracts, relating to part of the production process for Fruitflow®, was granted by the European Patent Office in January 2017, with the patent application also now having entered the national phase across larger global territories, with potential patent protection out to November 2029.
The Company reported in its preliminary results on 7 September 2017 that the Company and DSM had seen an encouraging increase in brand awareness and customer interest in Fruitflow® in recent months, with the total projected annual sales value of the prospective sales pipeline for Fruitflow® continuing to increase and standing then at a new all-time high level.
An increasing number of further commercial projects have been initiated by the Company's commercial partner DSM with prospective customers, including some prospective customers which are part of global businesses, with good prospects for these projects to be launched as consumer products.
¹ World Health Organization - www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2016/air-pollution-estimates/en/ and www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs313/en
Dawson Buck, Chairman of Provexis, commented:
'We are delighted to announce the filing of this patent application relating to the use of Fruitflow in protecting against the adverse effects of air pollution on the body's cardiovascular system.
Recent laboratory work has shown that Fruitflow can reduce the platelet activation caused by airborne particulate matter by approximately one third in healthy subjects and in subjects with an underlying cardiovascular problem.
The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution is the largest environmental risk factor for ill health, accounting globally for around 1 in 9 deaths, and these encouraging laboratory results suggest that Fruitflow could have a significant role to play in addressing this global health issue.
The patent filing means that DSM and the Company can use this research now to assist with discussions with current and potential customers. The Company expects that this patent application will have a strongly beneficial effect on the current and future commercial prospects for Fruitflow worldwide.'
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For further information please contact:
Provexis plc Tel: 07490 391888
Dawson Buck, Chairman [email protected]
Ian Ford, Finance Director
Cenkos Securities plc Tel: 020 7397 8900
Bobbie Hilliam / Camilla Hume
Notes for editors
About Provexis plc
AIM-listed Provexis is focused on the development and licensing of its proprietary, scientifically-proven Fruitflow® heart-health functional food ingredient.
In May 2009, the Company's Fruitflow® technology was the first to be substantiated by the European Food Safety Authority ('EFSA') under the new Article 13(5) for proprietary and emerging science. In December 2009 the European Commission authorised the health claim 'Helps maintain normal platelet aggregation, which contributes to healthy blood flow', which was the first wording to be authorised under Article 13(5).
In June 2010 it was announced that the Company had entered into a long-term Alliance Agreement with DSM Nutritional Products to commercialise Fruitflow®, and in June 2015 the Company confirmed it had agreed significantly enhanced financial terms for its Alliance Agreement with DSM for Fruitflow®.
The Company's Alliance partner DSM Nutritional Products has developed the market actively for the Company's novel, patented Fruitflow® heart-health ingredient in all global markets, with over 50 regional consumer healthcare brands now having been launched by direct customers of DSM, and with a number of further regional brands having been launched through DSM's distributor channels.
An increasing number of further commercial projects have been initiated by DSM with prospective customers, including some prospective customers which are part of global businesses, with good prospects for these projects to be launched as consumer products. Interest in the technology exists in all major global markets.
The Company reported in its preliminary results on 7 September 2017 that the Company and DSM had seen an encouraging increase in brand awareness and customer interest in Fruitflow® in recent months, with the total projected annual sales value of the prospective sales pipeline for Fruitflow® continuing to increase and standing then at a new all-time high level.
In June 2016 the Company launched a high quality dietary supplement product containing Fruitflow® and Omega-3 which is being sold from a separate, dedicated website www.fruitflowplus.com on a mail order basis.
The Company conducted a Key Opinion Leaders' roundtable event for Fruitflow® in London in September 2016, focussed on raising awareness of the importance of blood flow in cardiovascular health, and the effectiveness of dietary antiplatelets. The roundtable was attended by key scientists from Provexis and DSM, along with a number of interested health care professionals with close links to the media. The event was recorded and a video for Fruitflow® + Omega-3 capsules targeting prospective consumers can be seen here www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3HCSdyupEY&t=48s
The Company and DSM are keen to secure greater medical advocacy for Fruitflow® and the roundtable event forms part of this strategy.
The roundtable event is being supported by a broader consumer PR campaign, and the Company's Fruitflow® + Omega-3 dietary supplement product has featured in a number of recent articles in the UK national press which can be seen here www.fruitflowplus.com/fruitflow-in-the-media
The Company has been engaged in a two stage collaboration agreement with the University of Oslo to undertake further research into the relationship between Fruitflow® and blood pressure regulation. In December 2016 the Company announced the results from the second stage of the collaboration, a pilot study which indicated that a standard dose of Fruitflow® in powder format significantly lowered average 24-hour systolic blood pressure compared to placebo. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were shown to be significantly lower whilst trial subjects were awake, a clinically relevant reduction in blood pressure which is expected to be of interest to a large number of consumers and patients with a wide range of cardiovascular conditions.
In April 2017 the Company announced that it had entered into a memorandum of understanding with BY-HEALTH Co., Ltd ('BY-HEALTH') which is intended to result in a research and collaboration agreement with BY-HEALTH for Fruitflow®. The Company also confirmed separately that Provexis and DSM are working with BY-HEALTH to support the planned launch of some Fruitflow® based products in the Chinese market.
BY-HEALTH is a substantial Chinese listed dietary supplement business which is currently valued in excess of £2bn.
Provexis was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Reading, Berkshire.
Provexis shares are traded on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PXS.
For further information, please visit www.provexis.com
