Ceapro Provides Update on PGX Drying Technology
- Game-Changing Technology with wide applications for global Bio
Industry
EDMONTON, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Jun 12, 2014) - Ceapro Inc.
(TSX-VENTURE:CZO) As a follow-up to the general presentation made
during the Shareholders meeting held on June 11, 2014, ("Ceapro" or
"the Company") is pleased to provide a corporate update with
respect to its Pressurized Gas Expansion (PGX) drying technology
recently in-licensed from the University of Alberta.
This technology was originally of interest to Ceapro to enable
the transition to other sectors like nutraceuticals and
pharmaceuticals which mostly require the production of dry
formulations for tablets and capsules presentations. First
experiments were conducted with Ceapro's value driver beta glucan
currently extracted from oat with the expectations that dry
formulation of oat beta glucan would provide several benefits for
Ceapro's existing and new market potential.
Benefits for the existing personal care market include being
able to make preservative free product, an increase in shelf life,
and a 98% reduction in shipping weights and associated greenhouse
gasses by removing the water. A dry formulation would also allow
Ceapro to pursue the large nutraceutical and functional food/drink
markets where oat beta glucan has a well known health claim for
cholesterol reduction. Unfortunately current standard drying
technologies like spray drying or freeze drying are not feasible
options for oat beta glucan, as well as many other biopolymers. A
new technology was then needed, and that new technology is PGX.
Ceapro has been scaling up and refining the drying process to
increase efficiency and reduce costs since it began working with
the technology in 2010. All the equipment was designed and tested
by Ceapro. In late 2013 Ceapro scaled up the technology and
achieved a flow rate in excess of 3 metric tonnes per day with the
potential to increase the rate to 5 metric tonnes per day. During
the scale up work, Ceapro was able to produce a dried product that
was in excess of 90% purity and was able to prove the flexibility
of this technology to produce dried products of different
morphologies including fine powders, granules, micro-fibrils, and
nano-scale aerogels. Ceapro was able to produce an optimum dry
formulation for the production of tablets and capsules according to
pharmaceutical standards. The stage is set for further pre-clinical
studies.
As a result of the success with the Ceapro beta glucan scaleup,
a decision was made to invest in a commercial drying skid which
will be capable of handling all of Ceapro's current oat beta glucan
requirements as well as providing additional capacity to seed new
market opportunities and demonstrate the technology, at commercial
scale, on other biopolymers.
MIT Impregnation Study
Ceapro recently commenced a technical study with the prestigious
Boston based Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The
objective of that study being to impregnate molecules onto its dry
beta glucan. The rationale being that beta glucan has been
hypothesized to act as a delivery system and is based on evidence
that the PGX technology can allow impregnation of molecules as
previously demonstrated with the impregnation of beta-carotene into
gum arabic.
The first target molecule was CoQ Enzyme 10, a well known health
ingredient. The study was a success and proved that beta glucan
could be well impregnated. While the work has not included any
molecular characterization or efficacy testing yet, this study
demonstrated the tremendous platform potential of the PGX
technology to allow Ceapro to develop new products with any number
of carriers and active molecules. With respect to beta glucan
specifically, we can now look at expanding the use of beta glucan
as a delivery system for topical applications given the
demonstrated properties of beta glucan to deeply penetrate the skin
down to the derm level. Also, upon completion of bioavaialability
studies, oral combination of active ingredients impreganted with
beta glucan will be considered for time release applications. While
this work is still early stage, the technical success is an
essential first step to ensure we can make a product. With that in
mind, further scientific and efficacy studies will be conducted.
"The results of this first impregnation study with this enabling
technology is very exciting and opens up many opportunities to
develop new products and superior formulations for the
pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors, in line with our stated
goals", said Gilles Gagnon, President and CEO of Ceapro.
Other Drying Tests
During 2014, the PGX platform was tested on other compounds to
see how the resulting products would work with the technology. The
primary intent of this test was to establish the broad application
potential of PGX to effectively dry challenging biopolymers and
allow for particle morphologies that offered the potential of
enhanced performance. Two tests were conducted at Ceapro's lab on
materials provided by third parties and both tests proved highly
successful. The first one was conducted on chitosan, a well known
compound used for wound healing that is most commonly extracted
from shellfish. The second test was conducted on nano-crystalline
cellulose (CNC), a product which is the focus of much research and
development by the forest industry. This CNC product has some
tremendous properties but faces drying challenges using current
technologies that limits the functionality of the dried product.
The ability of PGX to make a nano-particle aerogel product,
something not possible with traditional spray drying, may allow for
this product to be commercialized with its full potential.
In summary, the ability of PGX to potentially work and add value
for other industries who face drying challenges with their
biopolymers and biomaterials allows for Ceapro to consider out
licencing PGX to third parties and adds to the tremendous potential
upside of Ceapro.
Bio World Congress of Industrial Technology (BWC)
Dr. Bernhard Seifried from Ceapro presented the PGX technology
at the BWC on May 14 2014 in Philadelphia. This is the largest
conference in the world that focuses on the rapidly growing
bio-industrial sector that includes alternative fuels, bio-based
chemicals, and bio-materials. The presentation was well attended
and the technology and samples were of tremendous interest to
several multi-nationals who had needs for better performance
materials and drying solutions. It is anticipated that several of
these meetings will lead to mutually beneficial business
opportunities for Ceapro as PGX appears to be able to address
certain unmet needs. We are most encouraged by the comments of a
representative of a large US based organization after the
presentation, "This technology is a winner".
Website Update
Because of the huge potential that PGX represents to Ceapro, we
have added a separate PGX section on our website which can be
accessed at www.ceapro.com. We encourage readers to review the
information and fact sheet posted to learn more about this game
changing technology.
"We have a new manufacturing facility coming on stream, sales
forecasts suggesting record volumes, increased awareness of our
flagship avenanthramides products, and now the tremendous promise
of PGX. This is an exciting time for Ceapro's shareholders", added
Mr. Gagnon.
About the Technology
This Technology was invented by Dr. Temelli from the Department
of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science of the University
of Alberta along with Dr. Bernhard Seifried, now Senior Researcher
at Ceapro.
The technology is called "PGX Technology", a novel spray drying
technique for processing water-soluble biopolymers, including oat
beta glucan, utilizing the unique and tuneable properties of
Pressurized Gas eXpanded liquids. PGX Technology is a platform that
can produce numerous morphologies of biopolymers ranging from fine
fibres to granular powder, which are highly water soluble and could
find commercial success in a wide range of industries including
functional foods, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, and
pharmaceutical products. This technology operates at lower
temperatures than conventional spray drying allowing incorporation
of thermosensitive bioactives as well.
About Ceapro Inc.
Ceapro Inc. is a Canadian growth-stage biotechnology company.
Primary business activities relate to the development and
commercialization of active ingredients for healthcare and cosmetic
industries using proprietary technology and natural, renewable
resources. To learn more about Ceapro, visit www.ceapro.com.
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.
Megan Lee, PhD, MBADirector, Corporate AffairsPlanning &
Development780-917-8394
Ceapro (TSXV:CZO)
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