BELLEVILLE, ON, July 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Bioniche Life Sciences Inc. (TSX: BNC) (ASX: BNC), a research-based, technology-driven Canadian biopharmaceutical company, today shared preliminary data on an in-licensed superagonist hormone technology in bovine proof of concept studies. This technology was developed by Trophogen Inc., a U.S.-based biotechnology company. Bioniche signed an exclusive global veterinary license agreement with Trophogen in June, 2010.
Several analogs produced with this recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH) technology have been tested over the past two years, and one has proven to be highly efficacious in the induction of multiple ovulations. A superovulatory response was induced with a single dose in beef cows treated three times consecutively.
More studies are required to determine the optimal dosage of the technology both in beef and dairy cattle, and to determine the long-term effects of treating consecutively with rFSH more than three times.
"These data are very encouraging," said Mr. Graeme McRae, President & CEO of Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., "Trophogen has developed a clearly superior recombinant FSH technology which will, over the coming years, be developed into a synthetic product containing no material of animal origin. No other animal health company has been able to successfully develop such a product."
The Company's current FSH product, Folltropin®-V, is a global market leader. Folltropin®-V is used to superovulate reproductively mature cattle. However, this product is derived from animal origin materials, and the recombinant FSH technology represents the next generation of this important intervention.
"Recombinant technologyis the important next step in the production of protein hormones for use in cattle," said Dr. Reuben Mapletoft, Distinguished Professor, Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan. "This process completely eliminates the potential for contamination with infectious agents and provides for a safe and highly consistent product. The efficacy of the Trophogen technology is very gratifying for those of us who have worked with it and provides for exciting possibilities for the future application of assisted reproductive technologies in cattle."
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