INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Stevia Corp.
(OTCQB: STEV) ("Stevia Corp" or the "Company"), an international
farm management company and healthcare company focused on the
commercial development of products that support a healthy
lifestyle, including stevia and hemp and their compounds, is
pleased to announce the filing of a second important provisional
patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark
Office for the treatment of pain using ibuprofen and Cannabidiol
(CBD).
The provisional patent application closely follows the company's
previously announced first provisional patent application for pain
comprising acetaminophen and CBD. As in the previously filed
application, this patent includes multiple claims including but not
limited to combinations of cannabinoids including CBD and ibuprofen
for the treatment of pain. The provisional patent application was
filed with the assistance of an intellectual property attorney with
extensive experience in the healthcare industry. A provisional
patent application is a legal document which establishes an early
priority date for the benefit of claiming "first to file" status
against other companies or individuals that may want to file a
patent with similar claims after the filing date of our provisional
patent.
Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal drug that can be used to relieve
pain and reduce fever. Ibuprofen is also widely recognized as a
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Like many NSAIDs,
ibuprofen works by inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandins which
are fat-like molecules that are involved in mediating inflammation,
pain and fever. It achieves this synthesis by inhibiting
cyclooxygenase, an enzyme that is present in various tissues of the
body. Ibuprofen is the active ingredient in popular OTC
(over-the-counter) analgesics such as Advil® and Motrin®. For most
pain sufferers, use of these drugs requires a long term, daily
dosing regimen.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a cannabinoid that is present in most
varieties of the cannabis sativa and cannabis indica plants.
Cannabinoids are unique to the cannabis sativa and cannabis indica
plants. Unlike some of the other molecules found in varieties of
the cannabis plant, it is non-psychoactive and it is not believed
to have any addictive properties. It is also extremely well
tolerated at high doses with little or no side effects. Cannabidiol
catapulted into a national story after being an important part of
the 2013 CNN documentary "Weed".
George Blankenbaker, Stevia Corp
commented, "This is our second key provisional patent application
related to pain which is one of the largest healthcare markets in
the world. In the past two weeks, we have announced our intention
to secure patents and to launch products that contain specific
cannabinoids in combination with either ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are two of the largest selling OTC
drugs in the world and are the key ingredients behind Motrin® and
Tylenol®."
Mr. Blankenbaker continued, "As the market for both prescription
and non-prescription pain reliever products continues to grow,
unfortunately the amount of people experiencing side effects and
the amount of people addicted to prescription pain killers also
continues to grow. Our goal is to develop a painkiller that first
and foremost works. Second, it must minimize adverse side effects.
Finally, it must reduce the chance of addiction. We believe we will
be able to develop these three attributes in a pain killer and as
we stated in the previous announcement, we are exploring the
possibility of partnering with a large pharmaceutical company that
has extensive experience in the pain care market and particularly,
experience with products that contain these two OTC medicines."
A provisional patent application is not required to have a
formal patent claim or an oath or declaration. However, an
applicant who files a provisional patent must file a
non-provisional patent with the United States Patent and Trademark
Office within 12 months of the filing of the provisional patent
application in order to benefit from the priority date. Most
importantly, the provisional application allows the owner of the
patent to market products that are believed to be covered by the
patent application with "patent pending" status. Stevia Corp filed
its application pursuant to other country's patent statutes, which
will allow Stevia Corp to claim the priority date in many other
countries besides the United
States upon the filing of a non-provisional patent
application.
Tylenol is a registered trademark of Johnson and Johnson. Motrin is a registered trademark of
McNeil Consumer Healthcare. Advil is a registered trademark of
Pfizer.
About Stevia Corp. (OTCQB: STEV)
Stevia Corp. is a farm management company and healthcare company
focused on developing highly nutritional, high value products
through proprietary plant breeding, excellent agricultural
methodologies and innovative post-harvest techniques. Stevia
Corp invests in R&D and IP acquisition and manages its own
propagation, nursery and plantations as well as provides services
to contract growers and other industry growers. Stevia Corp
was founded on the principal of implementing socially responsible,
sustainable, quality agribusiness solutions to maximize the
long-term efficient production of nutritional crops. For additional
information please visit: www.steviacorp.us.
About the Hemp Industry Sector
Hemp is a crop that can be grown for food and non-food purposes.
As a result of its numerous nutritional benefits, many new food
products containing hemp seed and its oil are finding their way
into the marketplace, including protein mixes, pasta, tortilla
chips, salad dressings, snack products and frozen desserts.
Non-dairy hemp "milk" beverages, which provide significant amounts
of omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFAs) and protein, are also
available. Hemp oil is also used in nutraceuticals and health care
products as well as industrial applications.
As an industrial fiber source, hemp is undergoing rapid growth
as a natural fiber in everything from clothing and textiles to
automotive composites. The fiber is also gaining popularity as a
building material such as insulation.
The Hemp Industries Association (HIA) estimated that the 2013
retail sales value of hemp food and body care products in
the United States was $184 million. When clothing, paper, auto parts,
building materials and various other products are included, the HIA
estimates that the total retail value of hemp products sold in the
US in 2013 to be at least $581
million and included more than 50,000 products.
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" as that
term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act
of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release, which are
not purely historical, are forward-looking statements and include
any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions
regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include,
among other things, filing patent applications, product
development, development of a product containing both ibuprofen and
cannabidiol, development of a product containing both acetaminophen
and cannabidiol, potential joint venture for future product
development, potential of CBD for treating diseases, annual retail
value of hemp products sold in the U.S., growth of industrial hemp
product industry, product development and business strategy. Actual
results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking
statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among
others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects and
development stage companies. These forward-looking statements are
made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no
obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update
the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in
the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any
beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press
release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such
beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be
accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth
herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure
outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent
fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic
reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
Contact:
Stevia Corp. Investor Relations
Email: ir@steviacorp.com
Tel: +1-888-250-2566
Web: www.steviacorp.com
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SOURCE Stevia Corp.
