VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 14, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- biOasis Technologies Inc. (TSX-V:BTI) has received experimental results from research performed on behalf of the Company by the National Research Council of Canada ("NRC"). This work was performed for the purpose of providing independent confirmation of results generated in prior work conducted by the Company.
The NRC study used the Company's Transcend carrier coupled to a dye that is visible during imaging procedures. The dye-labeled Transcend carrier was administered and observed using real time imaging as it crossed the blood-brain barrier and migrated inside the brain cells. The imaging dye that was used is larger than typical small molecule drugs providing further evidence that the Transcend carrier has the potential to deliver a variety of therapeutic agents of small and large molecular weight across the blood-brain barrier and into the tissue of the brain.
"These results provide additional validation of our belief that Transcend has the potential to deliver therapeutic agents into the brain. This is significant because it will potentially enable the treatment of a number of conditions that are currently untreatable," said Rob Hutchison, CEO. "Our Company has employed a deliberate step-by-step process to strengthen and expand our fundamental knowledge around the ability of Transcend to carry drugs across the blood-brain barrier. With this knowledge in hand we can shift our focus towards identifying specific drugs that would qualify as candidates for development within our therapeutics program."
ABOUT THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER
Overcoming the difficulty of delivering therapeutic agents to specific regions of the brain presents a major challenge to treatment of most brain disorders. In its neuroprotective role, the blood–brain barrier functions to hinder the delivery of many potentially important diagnostic and therapeutic agents to the brain. Therapeutic molecules and genes that might otherwise be effective in diagnosis and therapy do not cross the BBB in adequate amounts. It is widely reported that over 95% of all Therapeutic molecules do not cross the blood-brain barrier.
ABOUT TRANSCEND
biOasis is developing a proprietary carrier for the transport of therapeutic and imaging agents across the blood-brain barrier - Transcend. Current initiatives within the Transcend program include production of materials for preclinical studies and conjugation to a range of small molecule and biologic therapeutics. To address the unmet clinical need to transport drugs across the blood brain barrier biOasis intends to license Transcend to multiple corporate partners.
ABOUT BIOASIS:
biOasis Technologies Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of products for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases and disorders. Its products and technologies are intended for use within the healthcare and life science research markets. The Company is currently developing Cognitest™, a blood test for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. biOasis is also developing Transcend, a proprietary molecular carrier intended to transport drugs across the Blood-Brain Barrier for treatment of a wide range of neurological, oncological and infectious disease applications.
Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation that may not be based on historical fact, including without limitation statements containing the words "believe", "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect" and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, events or developments, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, events or developments express or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such factors include, among others, our stage of development, lack of any product revenues, additional capital requirements, risk associated with the completion of clinical trials and obtaining regulatory approval to market our products, the ability to protect our intellectual property, dependence on collaborative partners and the prospects for negotiating additional corporate collaborations or licensing arrangements and their timing. Specifically, certain risks and uncertainties that could cause such actual events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from any future events or results expressed or implied by such statements and information include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties that: we may not be able to successfully develop and obtain regulatory approval for p97 as a Physician's Aid to Diagnose Alzheimer's, or future products in our targeted corporate objectives; our future operating results are uncertain and likely to fluctuate; we may not be able to raise additional capital; we may not be successful in establishing additional corporate collaborations or licensing arrangements; we may not be able to establish marketing and the costs of launching our products may be greater than anticipated; we have no experience in commercial manufacturing; we may face unknown risks related to intellectual property matters; we face increased competition from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies; and other factors as described in detail in our filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities at www.sedar.com. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements and information, which are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All forward-looking statements and information made herein are based on our current expectations and we undertake no obligation to revise or update such forward- looking statements and information to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Rob Hutchison Chairman & CEO
"Neither the 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"
CONTACT: Rob Hutchison Chairman & CEO (778).383.3280 rob@bioasis.ca