Amphion Innovations plc Partner Company, WellGen, Inc. Announces Patent Awarded for WG0401, An Enriched Black-Tea Extract with Inflammation-Fighting Properties
Patent Marks Major Milestone As WellGen Readies Its First Nutrigenomics-Based Functional Food Ingredient for Commercialization
12 July 2007 —Amphion Innovations plc (LSE: AMP), a developer of companies in life sciences and technology, today announces that one of its Partner Companies, WellGen, Inc., a biotechnology company using nutrigenomics to discover and develop food ingredients for wellness products, has received the award of U.S. Patent No.7,238,376, “Black Tea Extract for Prevention of Disease” that covers, among other things, its proprietary product, WG0401, an enriched extract from black tea which has demonstrated inflammation-fighting properties.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office issued the patent on July 3, 2007. “Black Tea Extract for Prevention of Disease” covers the uses of WG0401 for arthritis, inflammation and cancer.
WellGen will begin marketing WG0401 to the nutritional supplement industry, where products for joint health have grown into a billion-dollar industry. WG0401 offers distinct new benefits to this marketplace due to the depth of scientific research supporting its performance, the known mechanism of its action at the cellular level, and the quick onset of its activity, which was demonstrated in recently completed human studies.
Amphion’s Chief Executive Officer, Richard Morgan said: “WellGen represents an exciting opportunity for Amphion in the functional food and beverage industry, which has grown into an $80 billion business. We have high hopes for WellGen’s ongoing success in this market as it continues to conduct studies for additional applications of its proprietary extract as well as several other products in the pipeline, each in various stages of development. This patent marks a major milestone as WellGen prepares to bring its first nutrigenomics-based functional food to the marketplace and to the consumer.”
This patent award adds tremendous value to WellGen’s marketing efforts for WG0401 as a functional food ingredient aimed at promoting joint health and comfort, anti-aging and immune-defense support, and for contributing to cardiovascular health.
Dr. Kathleen P. Mullinix, Chief Executive Officer of WellGen, stated: “This patent is a major milestone for our company and for our industry. Our product addresses relevant consumer needs and has significant scientific substantiation to support its claims, in addition to being proprietary. The patent is a rewarding achievement – but, we believe, only the first in a long line of similar future achievements. Eventually, we hope to become a major presence in the fast-growing functional foods and nutraceuticals industry.”
“WellGen is one of the first companies to employ the science of nutrigenomics – the study of how food ingredients affect the expression of genes that influence human states of health and wellness. We believe WG0401 is the first nutrigenomics-developed ingredient to be commercialized for consumer application,” said Dr. Mullinix.
Dr. Mullinix also stated that WellGen has already contracted for the large-scale manufacture of WG0401, to provide quantities as needed. In addition, the Company is in the process of finalizing a distribution agreement with Charles Bowman and Company, a leading supplier of nutrition ingredients and fine chemicals to the food, feed, pharmaceutical and health industries, which will facilitate WellGen’s entry into the marketplace.
In May 2007, WellGen moved into new headquarters and operating facilities located in the Commercialization Center for Innovative Technologies, at the Technology Centre of New Jersey, in North Brunswick, NJ. “Our new, larger home will be an important asset as we make the transition into a major new stage of our Company’s development,” Dr. Mullinix concluded.
For further information please contact
WellGen, Inc.
Patricia Lucas-Schnarre, Marketing
+1 (732) 565-3890, ext. 4403
Amphion Innovations plc
Charlotte Morgan, Marketing
+1 (212) 210-6224
Financial Dynamics
John Gilbert,
Public Relations
+44 207 269 7169
About WellGen
WellGen, Inc., based in North Brunswick, NJ, is a biotechnology company that is discovering and developing products for food, therapeutics, and dietary supplement markets with a strategic focus on functional foods. WellGen's proprietary technology platform is a method of screening the effect of food and related substances on the expression of genes associated with human health conditions. The company has developed proprietary substances that help maintain health and reduce risk and severity for a variety of diseases.
Please visit our website at www.wellgen.com for more information.
About Amphion Innovations plc
Amphion Innovations plc is listed on the AIM Exchange in London under the symbol AMP. Amphion's business is the formation, financing, management and development of life sciences and technology companies, working in partnership with corporations, governments, universities and entrepreneurs seeking to commercialize their intellectual property.
Please visit our website at www.amphionplc.com for more information.
