Provexis collaborates with Institute of Food Research
FUNCTIONAL food company Provexis has tied up with the Institute of Food Research in a move it said will strengthen its pipeline.
Provexis has its headquarters in Windsor but operates its research and development base in Liverpool. Its main product is Fruitflow, a tomato-based drink that thins the blood and helps circulation.
It has entered into a long-term research and development collaboration agreement with the Institute of Food Research and Plant Bioscience Limited, the institute’s technology transfer company.
Provexis has been granted exclusive access to a portfolio of intellectual property related to the treatment and reduction of systemic inflammation, from which it said it intends to develop commercial products.
Provexis said the collaboration gives it a broad range of exclusive rights to the background and joint intellectual property.
The partners will collaborate to develop the science, with major areas including clinical trials, extract development, further IP development, regulatory clearances and commercialisation.
The first phase of the project gives Provexis the exclusive option to license the technology from IFR and PBL and if successful in this phase, Provexis intend to move to fully in-license the technology rights.
Initially the company will focus on developing commercial products targeting the reduction of cardiovascular inflammation. A second, longer-term objective is to develop technologies designed to mitigate the risk of certain major cancers, it said.
Stephen Moon, chief executive of Provexis, said: “The collaboration with IFR is a further step in the continued expansion of Provexis and its product pipeline. The initial work to develop a cardiovascular claim and product complements our already recognised expertise in the heart health arena and in the longer term we feel we are ideally positioned to develop technologies that work to reduce the risk of some major cancers.
“This new venture further strengthens our pipeline and is an important element in creating long term shareholder value.”
