OTTAWA, Ontario, June 27, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avivagen Inc. (TSXV:VIV) (“Avivagen” or the “Corporation”), 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, is pleased to announce that the Veterinary
Drugs Directorate of Health Canada has added Fully Oxidized beta-Carotene to the Veterinary Health Product (VHP) list of substances
and designated it for oral use in cats and dogs. Fully Oxidized beta-Carotene, marketed under the OxC-beta™ brand name, contains
primarily the β-carotene-oxygen copolymer compound that Avivagen discovered is the naturally-occurring, active ingredient that
provides non-vitamin A immune function health benefits that have been observed in a range of livestock and companion animals.
Avivagen’s Vivamune™ line of companion animal products has gained a loyal and growing following in the US
market, particularly with canines where support of overall health often results, with improvements in coat quality, agility and
participation in activities. The latest regulatory approval in Canada, together with the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe)
approval recently granted in New Zealand for livestock, reflects the growing acceptance of Avivagen’s basic discovery of this
naturally-occurring dietary ingredient.
Dr. Graham Burton, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Avivagen, commented following this approval, “We are delighted
that this validation allows us to expand into the Canadian companion animal market, while laying the groundwork for applications
into the Canadian livestock and human nutraceutical markets.”
About Avivagen
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 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 in replacing the antibiotics commonly added to livestock feeds. OxC-beta™
Livestock is currently registered and available for sale in the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and New Zealand.
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 growing
nature of Vivamune’s following in the United States, the growing nature of the acceptance of Avivagen’s products or the possibility
for OxC-beta™ Livestock to replace antibiotics in livestock feeds, expansion into the Canadian livestock and
companion animal markets and eventually into the human nutraceutical market 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. The Canadian approval received may not lead to sales in the short term if at all, Avivagen’s
following in the United States may not continue to grow, Avivagen’s products may not gain market acceptance and may not be widely
accepted as a replacement for antibiotics in livestock feeds, Avivagen may not be successful in receiving regulatory
approval for or market acceptance of its products for use in the Canadian livestock and companion animal markets or the human
nutraceutical market due to many factors, many of which are outside of Avivagen’s control. Regulatory approval for and
expansion into the Canadian livestock and companion animal markets or the human nutraceutical market will require Avivagen to meet
stringent regulatory requirements and there can be no assurances that Avivagen will be able to meet such requirements.
Results experienced by users of Avivagen’s products will differ and may not be those described above in all cases. 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.
For more information:
Avivagen Inc.
Drew Basek
Director of Investor Relations
100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6
Phone: 416-540-0733
E-mail: d.basek@avivagen.com
Kym Anthony
Chairman & Interim CEO
100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6
Head Office Phone: 613-949-8164
Website: www.avivagen.com
Copyright © 2018 Avivagen Inc. OxC-beta™ is a trademark of Avivagen Inc.