Avivagen Secures Largest-Yet Order of OxC-beta™ Livestock

OTTAWA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Avivagen Inc. (TSXV:VIV) (“Avivagen”), a life sciences corporation focused on developing and commercializing products for livestock, companion animal and human applications that safely enhance and support immune function, thereby supporting general health and performance, has received its largest yet order for OxC-beta™ Livestock from UNAHCO, its long-standing partner in the Philippines. The three-tonne order represents a 50% increase from the previous largest order by UNAHCO and brings its total to date of OxC-beta™ Livestock to more than 18 tonnes.

“Since its November 2016 purchase of 150 kilograms for use in swine feed, UNAHCO’s demand for the product has grown significantly. The steady growth in UNAHCO’s use of OxC-beta reflects increased adoption across the company’s line of swine feed combined with expanded applications in the company’s various premixes which today includes use in both broilers and sows,” said Kym Anthony, Chief Executive Officer of Avivagen Inc. “The growth in UNACHO’s use of the product is based on the success of its OxC-beta-containing swine feed combined with ongoing product testing demonstrating a growing list of species and performance parameters that are positively affected by OxC-beta™.”

The UNAHCO relationship has served as a tested and successful adoption model for Avivagen and its customers. Initial small orders are distributed by feed producers quickly, followed by growing and more consistent demand with expanded use and application of OxC-beta™ Livestock following shortly thereafter. With approvals and new orders recently secured in Malaysia, Mexico, Thailand and Taiwan, and approval in Brazil expected in the near future, Avivagen believes this adoption model will continue driving increased demand and applications from both current and future OxC-beta™ Livestock customers globally.

The fact that UNAHCO’s largest order of OxC-beta™ Livestock to date comes amidst the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, a time when worldwide food production is under enormous stress, is evidence of the critical impact that the product has on the health and productivity of food producing animals. OxC-beta has proven to be a safe and highly effective feed additive for swine, broiler and dairy feeds, with growing adoption in major production markets.

About Avivagen

Avivagen is a life sciences corporation focused on developing and commercializing products for livestock, companion animal and human applications. By unlocking an overlooked facet of β-carotene activity, a path has been opened to safely and economically support immune function, thereby promoting general health and performance in animals. Avivagen is a public corporation traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol VIV and is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, based in partnership facilities of the National Research Council of Canada and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. For more information, visit www.avivagen.com. The contents of the website are expressly not incorporated by reference in this press release.

About OxC-beta™ Technology and OxC-beta™ Livestock

Avivagen’s OxC-beta™ technology is derived from Avivagen discoveries about β-carotene and other carotenoids, compounds that give certain fruits and vegetables their bright colours. Through support of immune function the technology provides a non-antibiotic means of promoting health and growth. OxC-beta™ Livestock is a proprietary product shown to be an effective and economic alternative to the antibiotics commonly added to livestock feeds. The product is currently available for sale in the United States, Philippines, Taiwan, New Zealand, Thailand, Mexico, Australia and Malaysia.

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 “aim”, “anticipate”, “appear”, “believe”, “consider”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “if”, “intend”, “goal”, “hope”, “likely”, “may”, “plan”, “possibly”, “potentially”, “pursue”, “seem”, “should”, “whether”, “will”, “would” and similar expressions. Statements set out in this news release relating to the future plans of Avivagen’s customers, the potential for additional and/or increased orders from such customers, the possibility for UNAHCO to continue buying Avivagen’s products, Avivagen’s expectations as to its ability to replicate the success and outcomes of its sales model with UNAHCO, continued distribution and acceptance of Avivagen’s technology, anticipated growth in demand for Avivagen’s products, the potential for Avivagen’s products to be commercialized in human applications, the possibility for OxC-beta™ Livestock to replace antibiotics in livestock feeds as well as fill a critical need for health support in certain livestock applications where antibiotics are precluded and the size of market opportunities are all forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. For instance, these initial orders may not result in new orders for Avivagen’s products, UNAHCO is under no obligation to order more product from Avivagen, the UNAHCO model may not be successful with other customers and other jurisdictions, customer plans may change due to many reasons, demand for Avivagen’s products may not continue to grow and could decline, Avivagen’s brand recognition may not increase as anticipated or could be impacted by negative events, Avivagen’s products may not gain market acceptance or regulatory approval in new jurisdictions or for new applications, including human applications, and may not be widely accepted as a replacement for antibiotics in livestock feeds, new market access may not occur in the timeline or manner expected by Avivagen and the market opportunities may not be as large as Avivagen anticipates due to many factors, many of which are outside of Avivagen’s control. Readers are referred to the risk factors associated with the business of Avivagen set out in Avivagen’s most recent management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition available at www.SEDAR.com. 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.

Copyright © 2020 Avivagen Inc. OxC-beta™ is a trademark of Avivagen Inc.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200407005308/en/