Ceapro Inc. (TSX-V: CZO; OTCQX: CRPOF), a growth-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of active ingredients for healthcare and cosmetic industries, announced today that it has entered into a research agreement for a Phase 1 safety and pharmacokinetic study with its flagship product avenanthramide.
- Second human trial to be conducted as part of a long-term Master Service Agreement with MHI
- Phase 1 study with Ceapro’s pharmaceutical grade avenanthramide to be coordinated by MHI’s Montreal Health Innovations Coordinating Center (MHICC) and led by Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif
EDMONTON, Alberta, Aug. 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ceapro Inc. (TSX-V: CZO; OTCQX: CRPOF), a growth-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of active ingredients for healthcare and cosmetic industries, announced today that it has entered into a research agreement for a Phase 1 safety and pharmacokinetic study with its flagship product avenanthramide. This clinical study is part of the long-term formal collaboration signed in 2018 with the prestigious Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) and will be led by Jean-Claude Tardif, CM, MD, Director of the Montreal Heart Institute Research Center.
“As we are entering into the last phase of our trial with MHI for our beta-glucan as a potential cholesterol lowering agent, we are honoured to expand our work with the expert team from MHI to conduct a Phase 1 clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of our flagship product, avenanthramide, which is well known for its anti-histaminic and anti-inflammatory properties. While some studies have been conducted with various formulations of avenanthramides, to our knowledge none have been done with such a pure pharmaceutical grade formulation. The expertise of the team at MHI, one of the best research Institute specializing in cardiovascular disease in Canada and beyond, is exactly in line with Ceapro’s strategic sector of activities in lifestyle, inflammation and immune-based diseases. This agreement is another step in the expansion of Ceapro’s business model from a contract manufacturer to a life science company,” commented Gilles R. Gagnon, M.Sc., MBA, President and CEO of Ceapro.
Dr. Tardif added, “We are pleased to enter into this new clinical study with Ceapro to evaluate their flagship product, avenanthramide. Because many cardiovascular diseases are inflammation-based, we are quite excited to initiate, hopefully very soon, a clinical trial aimed at evaluating Ceapro’s avenanthramide as a potential therapeutic and/or as a preventive natural product to manage and potentially decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Due to their favorable safety profile, active ingredients from natural products such as avenanthramide generate significant interest in preventing and managing chronic lifestyle diseases.’’
This safety and tolerability study will assess six escalating doses of avenanthramide given orally to healthy volunteers. A unique formulation of Ceapro’s avenanthramide is also under development through a partnership with Montreal-based COREALIS Pharma Inc., a specialty drug design company.
About the Montreal Heart Institute
Founded in 1954 by Dr. Paul David, the Montreal Heart Institute constantly aims for the highest standards of excellence in the cardiovascular field through its leadership in clinical and basic research, ultra-specialized care, professional training, and prevention. It houses the largest cardiology research center in Canada, the largest cardiovascular prevention center in the country, and the largest cardiovascular genetics center in Canada. The Institute is affiliated with the Université de Montréal and has more than 2000 employees, including 245 physicians and more than 85 researchers. For more information, please visit https://www.icm-mhi.org/en. The Montreal Health Innovations Coordinating Center (MHICC) is a leading full-service academic clinical research organization and an integral part of the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI). The MHICC possesses an established network of collaborators in over 4500 clinical sites in more than 35 countries. It has specific expertise in precision medicine, low-cost high-quality clinical trials, and drug repurposing (https:/www.mhicc.org).
About Ceapro Inc.
Ceapro Inc. is a Canadian biotechnology company involved in the development of proprietary extraction technology and the application of this technology to the production of extracts and “active ingredients” from oats and other renewable plant resources. Ceapro adds further value to its extracts by supporting their use in cosmeceutical, nutraceutical, and therapeutics products for humans and animals. The Company has a broad range of expertise in natural product chemistry, microbiology, biochemistry, immunology and process engineering. These skills merge in the fields of active ingredients, biopharmaceuticals and drug-delivery solutions. For more information on Ceapro, please visit the Company’s website at www.ceapro.com.
For more information contact:
Jenene Thomas
Jenene Thomas Communications, LLC
Investor Relations and Corporate Communications Advisor
T (US): +1 (833) 475-8247
E: czo@jtcir.com
Issuer:
Gilles R. Gagnon, M.Sc., MBA
President & CEO
T: 780-421-4555
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