Amarillo Biosciences President and CEO Dr. Joseph Cummins Addressing Seminars
in Japan
Company to Receive Royalties and Expects to Form Strategic Partnership to
Distribute Oral Interferon Worldwide
AMARILLO, Texas, July 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Amarillo Biosciences,
Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AMAR) announced that BioVet, Inc., a Tokyo based
animal health company with whom Amarillo Biosciences has been collaborating,
has confirmed that the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of
Japan has granted regulatory approval for production and marketing the product
for oral interferon treatment of rotavirus in cattle. Rotavirus diarrhea is a
major cause of disease and death in animals and humans.
The animal health approval is for low dose oral administration of human
interferon alpha supplied by Hayashibara Biochemical Laboratories (HBL). The
approved oral dosage is 0.5 IU (international units) of human interferon alpha
(less than a nanogram) per kilogram of body weight, once daily for 5 days to
treat rotavirus diarrhea in calves not more than 30 days old. The product
will be launched in Japan in September 2004.
Amarillo Biosciences owns the distribution rights to HBL interferon for
animal health outside Japan; will receive a royalty on all Japanese HBL
interferon sales; and, will cooperate with BioVet in the international
marketing of oral interferon for animal health.
BioVet is sponsoring six informational seminars for veterinarians in six
different cities from July 20 until July 27, 2004. The scheduled cities are:
Sapporo, Obihiro, Morioka, Tokyo, Kumamoto and Kagoshima. Dr. Joseph M.
Cummins, President & CEO of Amarillo Biosciences, a pioneer in the oral
administration of interferon, will participate in the seminars to share
clinical results on the oral use of interferon in dogs, cats, horses, swine,
cattle and poultry. "It is not easy condensing 30 years of research into a
90 minute presentation, but we will try our best to convey the benefits of
this therapy," said Dr. Cummins.
As a result of animal health approval for treatment of the rotavirus in
cattle, BioVet can start production and distribution of the product. BioVet
intends to submit their animal health data and regulatory approval to
regulatory agencies outside Japan.
BioVet and ABI expect to join forces with strategic partners in order to
distribute oral interferon. Multi-national animal health companies can use
the Japanese data to generate sales in many countries. To date, the company
has received indications of serious interest from a number of multinational
pharmaceutical companies and is in active discussions with these companies.
"Japanese regulatory approval will enable our Japanese partner BioVet to
begin marketing HBL interferon immediately, which translates into royalty
payments to Amarillo Biosciences," said Dr. Cummins. "Equally, if not more
important, the Japanese approval will assist both Amarillo Biosciences and
BioVet to reach a distribution agreement with a major pharmaceutical partner
or partners, in order to market HBL interferon in other countries. This is
particularly important to Amarillo Biosciences since we own the distribution
rights to HBL interferon outside Japan."
About Amarillo Biosciences, Inc.
Amarillo Biosciences, Inc., is a U.S. biotechnology firm operating in
global partnership with the Hayashibara Group, which also holds 32% of
Amarillo Biosciences shares. The Company's primary focus is extensive and
ongoing R&D into the use of low-dose, orally administered interferon as a
treatment for a variety of conditions, including Sjogren's syndrome, Behcet's
disease, and opportunistic infections in patients who are HIV positive.
Additional information is available on the ABI web site at
http://www.amarbio.com .
Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters
discussed in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties, including uncertainties related to product
development, uncertainties related to the need for regulatory and other
government approvals, dependence on proprietary technology, uncertainty of
market acceptance of oral interferon or the Company's other product candidates
and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see "Item 1. Description
of Business" of the Company's Form 10-KSB for the year ended December 31,
2003.
SOURCE Amarillo Biosciences, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.amarbio.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/118055.html
CONTACT:
investor relations, Philippe Niemetz of WPH
Consultants, Ltd., +1-800-477-7570, or +1-212-344-6464, or fax,
+1-212-618-1276, or philippe.niemetz@wphconsultants.com , for
Amarillo Biosciences, Inc.; or Joseph M. Cummins, DVM, PhD of
Amarillo Biosciences, Inc., +1-806-376-1741, ext. 13, or fax,
+1-806-376-9301, or jcummins@amarbio.com
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