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JULY 13th, 2005
Atonomics, a Point of Care company based in Denmark, has developed
a biochip technology around a technology used in the design of cellular phones. Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) technology, which
forms the basis of SAW filters in cellular phones, is also the basis for Atonomics’ biochips.
According to the company’s web site, the technology developed
requires just one drop of blood, as opposed to numerous pricks needed to perform traditional allergy analysis. The company
reports that most allergy sufferers are not aware that a simple blood test, which requires just one drop of blood, can be
used to diagnose their symptoms.
So how does the system work? The acoustic surface waveforms are
extremely sensitive to differences in DNA structure. Because of this, unique and determinable waveforms are generated for
specific types of genes. Different DNA structures or molecules have a different mass. When these collect on the surface of
the sensor, the mechanical forces, which control the electrical oscillatory nature of the SAW device, are change, resulting
in distinct waveform variations. The company reports that the disruption of acoustic surface waves as a direct result of specific
DNA hybridisation and elongation reactions can be measured with low-cost instruments within 15 minutes. Besides allergy DNA
reactions, the system can also be used to detect the delta 508 mutation of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator (CFTR)
gene.
Atonomics goes on to estimate that about 11 million patients take
allergy tests and the market is worth about $245 million. The company projects that if the 150 million Type 1 allergy sufferers
took allergy tests, the total market would exceed $3 billion.
JULY 6th, 2005
Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ:NVAX), noted for its micellar technology,
a topically applied drug delivery system based on oil and water nanoemulsions, has completed $4 million in financing as a
result of a stock offer of 4,000,000 shares priced at $1.00 a share.
Novavax currently offers prescription pharmaceutical products and
prenatal vitamins. One of its products based on micellar nanoparticles is ESTRASORB. That topical emulsion lotion is
used to deliver estrogen to help manage vasomotor symptoms in postmenopausal women. Another planned micellar based product,
Androsorb, a topical testosterone treatment, has completed Phase I trials.
JULY 5th, 2005
Cevena Bioproducts, Inc. has secured $6.0 Million in funding to
commercialize its ViscoFiber product, a beta-glucan concentrate, derived from oats and barley through a patented fractionation
process. The new product is used to improve the health of the heart and offers satiety benefits.
ViscoFiber is presently in clinical trials to evaluate its effect
on cholesterol levels, glycemic response for heart health and efficacy for gastrointestinal health.
The lead investor for the funding was The Business Development Bank
of Canada's Venture Capital Group. Others investors that participated included Golden Opportunities Fund, Foragen Technologies,
Inc and AVAC, Ltd.
JUNE 29th, 2005
MemoMind Pharma, an affiliate of Austria-based Ebewe Pharmaceuticals
has announced the availability of MempProve, a neuropeptide tablet, that is used to improve short term memory. The company
indicates that the drug has the capability to improve short term memory in middle aged and older adults, on average, by 15
percent.
Thomas Crook, PhD, former Chief of the National Institute of Mental
Health's Geriatric Psychopharmacology Program, noted how fortunate we are to have the Age Related Memory Problem (ARMP) tablet,
"Age-related memory problems are a very real issue for millions of adults. As we all get older, we are extremely fortunate
to have this easily-administered neuropeptide tablet available to help counter ARMP and preserve vital memory function."
To further validate the product, MemoMind pointed to a placebo controlled
trial published in the journal International Clinical Psychopharmacology. In that test, memory was shown to improve significantly
with the peptide.
JUNE 20th, 2005
Mosaic Nutraceuticals (OTC:MCNJ) has announced that it "has completed
composition" of its VitalHealth Premium Weight Loss Patch. The President of Mosaic Nutraceuticals, Charlie Townsend on announcement
of the product said, "We view our VitalHealth Premium Weight Loss patch as another key product to augment our VitalHealth
Premium Candy Chew line. We believe that dieters will see enhanced results by using our VitalHealth Diet Patch and our very
flavorful LeanLicious Candy chew with Hoodia Gordonii".
The weight patch consists of nutrients that are said to assist in
weight loss programs.
JUNE 17th, 2005
Nutrigenomics, an emerging area of nutrition that bases dietary
needs on an individual's genetics, has entered into a research and licensing agreement with Rutgers, The State University
of New Jersey. The newly expanded agreement includes bioactive compounds, like anti-inflammatory compounds, in addition to
a technique for in vitro validation of anti-inflammatory compounds.
WellGen presently has two compounds that are expected to complete
clinical trials this year. These include an anti-arthritis compound and an anti-colon cancer compound.
WellGen's nutrigenomics' platform is used to examine the role nutrients
play in gene and protein expression. The company also has a gene screening technology, which is used to help analyze the role
of nutrients in the prevention of disease, or the expression of disease causing genes.
JUNE 15th, 2005
AgraQuest Lands $14.5 Million in Quest for Market Share
of Emerging Hazard Free Pesticide Market
Household and industrial strength pesticides, considered dangerous to the ozone layer and at
best questionable to the development and maintenance of human health, has opened another new growth market opportunity - the
natural pesticide market. Analogous to the renewable energy market, which draws its strength from the total available market
for oil, the safe alternative pesticide market draws its strength from the large and well-established line of pesticides that
have its roots in the 1950s.
Taking advantage of this market opportunity is AgraQuest, a biotechnology
company that develops "safe and environmentally friendly natural pest management products, " Others that see a market opportunity
are AgraQuest's investors, which have recently invested $14.35 million in a private round of financing.
In a short commentary about the market opportunities and its alignment
with investor TPG (Texas Pacific Group) Ventures, a venture capital firm with $500 million in capital, Dr. Mike Miille, AgraQuest's
CEO stated, "AgraQuest has many exciting opportunities to continue our global sales expansion and to launch new products in
our pipeline. The sizeable resources and experience of TPG will help create significant value for our customers and investors."
AgraQuest indicated it now expects to see rapid growth. Part of
this rapid growth may come about as consumers become more aware of the dangers pesticides pose to their drinking water from
simple actions of just watering their sprayed lawns. Local governments are also concerned. Pesticides, from lawn watering
enter storm drains and then the water supply, pose liability questions for them.
Other companies that invested in AgraQuest, which won the World
Technology Award for the Environment, included Capital LLC, Halcyon Capital. SAM Sustainability Private Equity LP, Sustainable
Performance Group (Unlisted) N.V., Swiss Re Investors, Berndt Trusts, JSS Management, Vivo Ventures and Boldcap Ventures.
JUNE 14th, 2005
Siemens with the formation of its Siemens Medical Solutions Molecular
Imaging division, through a series of business combinations, has molecular plans that are expected to change the way diseases
are treated and diagnosed. Behind Siemens business strategy is a scientific premise that states that the onset of disease
is preceded with observable characteristic changes at the molecular and cellular level. The goal of molecular imaging is to
use molecules and cells to diagnose a disease at the very earliest stage. According to Siemens, "With molecular imaging,
earlier diagnosis of disease will be possible, since changes at the molecular level always precede anatomical structural changes.”
Molecular imaging systems may eventually also significantly reduce
health costs. According to Erich Reinhardt, Ph.D., President and CEO, Siemens Medical Solutions, "By strengthening our leadership
position in identifying disease earlier at the molecular level, we continue to transform the delivery of healthcare by improving
patient care while reducing costs."
JUNE 13th, 2005
PFG Encourages Dental Care with Epic Dental Product' Discounts
The Principal Financial Group (PFG), a provider of employee benefits and considered one of
the fastest growing dental carriers, is enticing customers to take better care of their teeth. The company now offer discounts
on products that it considers will help prevent tooth decay. To that end, In conjunction with Epic Dental, PFG has announced
a program that will give its customers as much as a 50 percent discount on Epic's xylitol products. Xylitol is, according
to Epic a natural sweetener that is not conducive to bacteria growth and reproduction. According to the company, studies have
shown that those that the use of xylitol products can reduce the risk of cavities by as much as 80 percent.
Theresa McConeghey, Dental Product Director for The Principal explained
the reasone behind most cavities, "The culprit behind most of our oral health concerns is the bacteria that live within
our mouths and on the surface of our teeth. Regular brushing and flossing will help reduce these bacteria, but adding the
use of products with xylitol - such as those offered by Epic - to that regimen will further work to eliminate them." She then
elaborated on the company's business model, "As a leader in offering dental care coverage and services, The Principal is dedicated
to going beyond dental insurance by offering services that help our members achieve and maintain good oral health. By providing
these discounts, our hope is that our members become more actively involved with the decisions made about their teeth and
gums - including the steps necessary to mitigate plaque and cavities."
The specific incentive program provides for a 50 percent discount
on an initial order of xylitol and 25 percent off any reorders.
JUNE 13th, 2005
Manufacturers of healthcare products, through BioElectronics Corporation
(Pink sheets: BIEL), now have access to the company's ActiPatch, a drug-free patch used to reduce swelling. BioElectronics
foresees manufactures of orthotics, braces, splints and wraps embedded the ActiPatch within their products.
The company apparently has some major contracts in the works. According
to Andrew J. Whelan, President and CEO. "We have been working diligently on this design approach for months and we have our
existing products working well with a couple of well respected companies. We expect to be announcing some major deals in the
coming months, beginning with the European market. This approach will add greatly to our goal of making our breakthrough medical
products available for a broad array of soft tissue injuries."
ActiPatch is referred to be the company as dermal patch. The dermal
patch contains a battery-powered microchip that delivers continuous pulsed therapy.
JUNE 10th, 2005
Lifeline Reports Protandim's Potential to Give and Extend
Healthier Lives
Lifeline Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCBB:LFLT), a company focused on the repair and prevention
of oxidative damage, has reported that Protandim, a dietary supplement, "is proven to restore age-related oxidative stress
to levels seen in someone 20 years old or younger'." The technology increases the catalytic antioxidant defense and repair
system found in the body - specifically the process enables the production of antioxidants inside the cell as opposed to being
absorbed through the body with consumable antioxidants.
In support of its claim, the company referenced a study on aging
led by Dr. Peter Rabinovitch at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine. The study showed that increased levels
of natural antioxidants, such as Catalase, resulted in slowing of the aging process. In the study of mice, results indicated
an extended life in the order of 20 percent. Protandim is credited with the capability to increase the levels of two essential
natural antioxidant enzymes: Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT).
Commenting on the cell antioxidant enhancement treatment was Dr.
Joe McCord, Director of Science for Lifeline Therapeutics, "Throughout my entire career, I've been focused on antioxidants.
Protandim is unlike other antioxidants or supplements available because it works within the cells to optimize the body's natural
enzymes. The pre-clinical and clinical studies have clearly demonstrated the effectiveness and impact of Protandim. In fact,
in clinical studies, Protandim restored oxidative stress to the level of someone younger than 20 years old."
Dr. McCord has an established reputation in the antioxidant field.
Lifeline notes that in 1997, Dr. McCord was awarded the Elliot Cresson Medal from The Franklin Institute. The work that won
him that award was on free radical reactions and their enzymatic control in living organisms and the pathology of free radical
diseases. Dr. McCord is also the President of the International Society of Antioxidants in Nutrition and Health (ISANH).
As a final note, the "fountain of youth" type product was featured
on ABC Primetime Live on June 2, 2005.
JUNE 9th, 2005
Amenni has started the process of filling the 300,000 patch order
for its first United States client as part of the company’s sales program that addresses a market that Amenni believes,
for its Sports Patch alone, could reach $500 million annually.
The Sports Patch has been aimed at the Sports Healthcare market
. The company has stated that the Amenni Sports Patch "has shown significant benefits to aid the recovery from a Sports injury"
and when "applied immediately after injury helps with quicker recovery times." The company also believes there are currently
no direct competitors.
According to Pat Lochrie, CEO of Amenni, the company has other patch
plans, "We plan to follow the Sports Patch roll-out with further products from our Healthcare, Cosmetic and Medical ranges.
The use of a Transdermal Patch delivery system promises to be very exciting."
The primary active ingredients of the Sports Patch were based on
research in Veterinary Science.
MAY 31st, 2005
Led by Harbert Venture Partners, LLC, Innovative Biosensors, Inc.
(IBI) has raised $3.5 million in a Series A round of financing. The round was joined by New Markets Growth Fund and the Maryland
Venture Fund.
IBI offers pathogen detection technology based on the CANARY technology
licensed from MIT. The technology has been the basis for IBI's recent E. coli O157:H7 Detection Kit used in food safety analysis
applications. The company has indicated that it plans to offer more tests in this market as well as in the human clinical
diagnostics markets.
The major benefits that IBI technologies’ promises are high-speed
testing and the ability to detect very low levels of pathogen content. According to IBI's Founder and CEO, Joe Hernandez,
"This funding will enable us to expand our commercial infrastructure, allowing us to bring IBI's technology to markets currently
in need of rapid, sensitive pathogen test results.” The company also indicates that the pathogen tests can be accomplished
in less than five minutes. The product because it is easy to use, has potential applications in the consumer market.
Will Brooke, Managing Partner of Harbert Venture Partners, commented
on the overall marketability of IBI's products, "We believe IBI's cutting-edge CANARY detection technology is applicable to
multiple markets. This, in combination with IBI's experienced management team, positioned IBI as an attractive investment
opportunity for us. We are pleased to support IBI and look forward to being a part of a company that has the potential to
revolutionize pathogen testing."
MAY 20th, 2005
California Table Grape Commission reports that the current issue
of Phytotherapy Research, a scientific journal, has published research that indicates antioxidant properties of grapes may
eliminate bladder functions problems associated with an enlarged prostrate. The commission quotes an excerpt from Robert Levin,
Ph.D., of the Albany College of Pharmacy, "We are amazed at just how potent grapes appear to be in protecting against these
urinary dysfunctions. We saw more impact with the grape preparation than with other agents tested. The results from this study
are highly relevant to our male population: eating grapes every day might significantly reduce the progression of bladder
dysfunction resulting from an enlarged prostate." Levin also suggested that hat "the sooner men begin this regimen the more
effective it would be."
The press release also summarized results from the study, "The study
notes that in France, where per capita grape consumption is approximately twice that of the USA, although the incidence of
enlarged prostate is similar to that of the USA, and the mean prostate sizes are the same, the prevalence of moderate-to-severe
urinary symptoms in French men between 50 and 70 years of age is just 11 percent compared with 34 percent in American men."
Kathleen Nave, President of the California Table Grape Commission,
commented on the study, "This research furthers our understanding that fresh grapes are a significant source of beneficial
phytonutrients. We are supportive of solid scientific studies such as this one, which continue to shed light on just how grapes
provide their health benefits."
MAY 18th, 2005
Bayer Releases One-A-Day Cholesterol Plus with Policosanol
Bayer HealthCare's Consumer Care Division has announced an addition to its personalized multivitamin
line, One-A-Day Cholesterol Plus. This multivitamin, of concern to those over 45, includes policosanol, derived from sugar
cane, an ingredient that Bayer states has been shown to maintain healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Besides policosanol,
for healthy blood pressure levels the tablets also contain folic acid and calcium.
Shane Durkee, Director of Nutritional Science and New Business at
Bayer HealthCare outlined the motivation for the development of Cholesterol Plus, "As the baby boomer generation ages and
becomes more concerned about heart disease, we recognized a need to develop a multivitamin supplement to help keep cholesterol
and blood pressure levels normal. One-A-Day Cholesterol Plus is designed to support heart health along with providing key
essential vitamins and minerals for overall nutrition." According to Bayer over 41 percent of Americans over 45 are concerned
about their cholesterol or blood pressure levels.
One-A-Day Cholesterol Plus also contains a wide variety of other
vitamins and minerals. Among these are specific vitamin and mineral sets for joints and bones, the immune system and energy.
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