Avivagen Secures Third Major OxC-beta™ Livestock Order in Asia-Pacific
UNAHCO seeks to expand use of OxC-BetaTM Livestock with new application in Broilers, creating new market opportunity for expanded use in a wide variety of feeds worldwide
Ottawa, ON/ Business Wire/ November 12, 2019: – Avivagen Inc. (TSXV:VIV) ("Avivagen") is pleased to announce that it has secured another substantial order for 2.1 metric tons of OxC-betaTM Livestock from UNAHCO, its partner in the Philippines. The new order marks the fourth multi-metric ton order of OxC-betaTM by UNAHCO in the past calendar year and second in the past three months, helping the company meet high demands across the growing Philippine market.
"We continue to see exceptional growth for Avivagen and innovative applicability of OxC-betaTM Livestock in the Philippines and throughout Asia-Pacific," said Kym Anthony, Chief Executive Officer, Avivagen Inc. "In our view, UNAHCO's application of OxC-betaTM Livestock for broilers is further evidence that the appetite for alternatives to antibiotics in livestock feed is growing, and that Avivagen has become the trusted long-term provider for feed producers in Asia-Pacific and around the globe."
OxC-beta™ Livestock has the potential to eliminate the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in livestock feed, a problem requiring an urgent solution and which represents a multi-million-dollar market opportunity worldwide.
"UNAHCO continues to see the applicability and benefit of using OxC-betaTM Livestock as an ingredient to a number of in-demand feeds, including swine and broilers. With continued recurring orders and evaluation for uses in more types of feed, it's clear that there are opportunities for continued growth and expanded use not only in Asia-Pacific but globally," adds Mr. Anthony.
Avivagen expects growth within the Asia-Pacific market to accelerate as new applications of OxC-betaTM Livestock are being utilized by local partners, and as it pursues additional regulatory approvals in new jurisdictions. Avivagen recently secured approval for OxC-betaTM Livestock in the U.S. and Mexico.
Meyenberg Signed to Lead Mexican Distribution
Following approvals earlier this year, Avivagen has also secured the registration for sale of OxC-beta™ Livestock in Mexico for use with broiler hens and pigs. Local Avivagen partner Meyenberg International Group will lead the distribution agreement process in the country, the next major step toward completing its first sale within that country. With offices in Mexico City and Guadalajara Meyenberg is a consulting company that for 20 years has specialized in helping innovative, multi-million-dollar companies expand globally.
About Avivagen
Avivagen is a life sciences corporation focused on developing and commercializing products for livestock, companion animal and human applications that, by safely supporting immune function, promote general health and performance. It 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 carotenoids, compounds that give certain fruits and vegetables their bright colours, and is a non-antibiotic means of maintaining optimal health and growth. OxC-beta™ Livestock is a proprietary product shown to be effective and economic as an alternative to the antibiotics commonly added to livestock feeds. OxC-beta™ Livestock is currently available for sale in the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, New Zealand, the U.S. and Mexico.
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.
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 expectation that, expected growth and increasing demand within the Asia-Pacific market and other markets, the size of market opportunities, , the possibility of sales in Mexico, the possibility for deployment or launch of OxC-beta™ Livestock in new jurisdictions around the world or for it to replace antibiotics in livestock feeds as well as fill a critical need for health support in certain livestock applications where antibiotics are precluded, Avivagen's intention to accelerate market access and the commercial uptake of its OxC-beta™ Livestock product 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, UNAHCO is under no obligation to continue purchasing product from Avivagen or to increase its purchases and it could cease or reduce its purchases at any time, inquiries from potential new customers may not result in orders for Avivagen's products and field trials underway may not have anticipated outcomes, demand for Avivagen's products in the Asia-Pacific market may not continue to grow and could decline, Avivagen's products may not gain market acceptance or regulatory approval in new jurisdictions or for new 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. 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.
Drew Basek
Director of Investor Relations
100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6
E-mail: d.basek@avivagen.com
Kym Anthony
Head Office Phone: 613-949-8164
Website: www.avivagen.com