What is a "food-derived bioactive technology" and a "functional food"?
It is becoming increasingly accepted by the scientific community that there are links between specific food groups and their capacity to help reduce the risk of certain diseases. For example, some compounds specifically found in broccoli have been shown to reduce the risk of some cancers. Consuming the actual food may be insufficient to maximise the health benefit due to a number of factors including: the quantity of the food that would need to be consumed; the frequency with which it would need to be consumed; and the way in which the food is prepared prior to consumption.

These health-promoting compounds can be extracted from the food source (called a food-derived bioactive technology) and reintroduced into consumer-friendly lifestyle products which are proven to maintain health (a functional food). Therefore, instead of eating four large servings of broccoli per week, the same benefit may be technically delivered via a 250ml orange juice drink containing the bioactive if consumed once per week.

How is Provexis differentiated from other companies in the market?
Provexis is an evidence-based business which means that we only develop food-derived bioactive technologies and functional food products that have been scientifically proven to deliver a health benefit. This is a different approach from those that promote functional food products in a more generic way with less scientific evidence. We believe that functional food products with strong scientific proof carrying health claims and endorsements will endure and prosper as this rapidly growing market matures.

Provexis is also differentiated with regard to our speed-to-market credentials and the fact that we can create shareholder value via a combination of technology licensing and own brand development.

What food-derived bioactive technologies are being developed by Provexis?
Provexis has developed Fruitflow, a patented extract from tomato that has been proven to inhibit blood platelet aggregation, thereby reducing the risk of thrombosis. A thrombosis is an aberrant blood clot that can lead to heart attack and stroke. Provexis has integrated Fruitflow into a fruit juice beverage called Sirco. When launched - initially in the United Kingdom - it will be the first functional food carrying the claim Helps maintain a healthy heart and benefit circulation with a measurable benefit within hours of consumption.

Provexis is developing a proprietary extract from a special breed of broccoli (non-GMO) which is enriched in compounds known to reduce the risk of specific cancers. Provexis intends to use this food-derived bioactive to underpin a new range of functional beverages with scientifically proven protective properties.

In addition, Provexis is developing a patented extract from plantain with a view to developing a novel medical food for the dietary management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, specifically Crohns Disease in the first instance.

very difficult to release something like a reasonable trading statement when the product has only been in the shops for a few weeks. if i get the chance later i will phone the company and ask where this 2.5 million advertising budget is being/planned on being spent because i have seen nothing so far. (unless someone else calls them first). but, so far so good.

Morning. Have seen adverts in the Sunday times magazine a few times. Personally I do not like the name sirco, but if it sells who cares.

Just trying to think through likely volume. Starting from the outlets: say 1000 at avaerage 20 cartons stocked say one week's stock would be 1 million unit sales or arounf 32m. Starting from the user market: 3 million statin users should give 1 million consumers who should buy regularly; if 50 a year would give volume of 50 million p.a. or 100m sales. Wide discrepancy! But I reckon that msot people who start will become addicts whether they kile the flavour or not. I take a statin table plus an aspirin each day: if I were convinced that Sirco should replace the aspirin then I would take my drink religously wrong word: who does religion serriously?). Perhaps this rumination might start others off. I do suspect the cap. could quickly grow to the 100m area: what about the US market?

Eric

maybe the Sirco would also improve your typing/spelling....LOL

good luck everyone

GN

global nomad, eric's spelling is usually fine .......... unless he's been on the rioja ;)

nice little write up in shares mag in a feature about the uk healthy food market


"Functional foods company Provexis (PXS:AIM) also has high hopes
for the health drink it launched this year. The company joined AIM in
2005 through a reverse takeover of Nutrinnovator and has recently
begun selling its Sirco health drink, which contains a patented tomato
extract called Fruitflow.
The Fruitflow technology has been proven by scientists to help thin the
blood in the body, which can reduce the chances of forming potentially
dangerous blood clots. Sirco has been endorsed by HEART UK, a charity
which specialises in high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.
When we approached retailers, they wanted a charitable
endorsement on the product and we had to present our evidence to
HEART UKs scientific panel, says CEO Dr Stephen Franklin, adding
that the approval has helped with the marketing campaign.
As the drink has only been on the market for a matter of months,
there are no sales figures yet but the initial reactions have been
promising. Arbuthnot analyst Robert Sanders has a target price of 15p
for the shares, 36% above their current 11p. However, the company is
also looking at global licensing deals for the Fruitflow technology as it
could be incorporated into any already existing drinks brand. Franklin says it is hoping to have some news about a potential deal within the
next six months and Sanders believes that a licensing deal would be a
huge catalyst for the shares pushing them well above the target price."

Thanks bos for posting that: why make the drink when someone else can add it under license. Its also a way of capturing additional m,arket and accessing the people whom it will really help. If 3 million in the UK then 30 million in the US and how many worldwide? Beginning to believe my calculation of a cap. of 100m and will build up my cfd position. By the way, bos, you can take out a cfd with blue index on PXS on a 4:1 margin.

OK glomad, as bos says, it was a particularly good red that night - will dig out the bottle if you want to know. Only had a coulple of glasses at the Golf Club, have checked my spelling and it is bolddlly acculate!

Eric

cheers eric,

wonder if fruitflow can be added to any drink, rioca perhaps. Isn't a little red wine good for you anyway?

and while we're at it what about food.

enjoy the w/e

GN

Provexis aims to push ahead with new health products Apr 7 2006




Daily Post


HEALTH and medical foods developer Provexis yesterday said its trading was in line with market expectations and said new products were in the pipeline.

The Liverpool-based company has enjoyed rapid progress in recent months, marketing its health juice drink, Sirco, which it claims can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

The drink is now available in hundreds of Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Tesco supermarkets in the UK and Provexis is aiming to expand its market to the United States.

In yesterday's statement it said: "The company continues to develop its product pipeline with two other technology platforms which are intended to underpin new product launches in 2007 and 2008.

"The first of these will be a functional beverage, containing a glucosinolate-enriched broccoli extract for reducing the risk of specific cancers. The second product will be a medical food, based on a patented extract from plantain fruit, designed to extend remission time in patients with Crohn's Disease."




http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200businessfarmingnews/tm_objectid=16915508&method=full&siteid=50061&headline=provexis-aims-to-push-ahead-with-new-health-products-name_page.html

I have been tracking back over various sites for information that might give any other leads for any agreements. Couldn't find anything particularly enlightening although this article from january about the issues of marketing products that deal with illness/death/ cancer etc. came up with the following that reminds us that Fruitflow is looking to be incorporated (licensed) into a variety of different product markets. Whether this means various licenses in different sectors or with a company that operates in various sectors........

"
However, trying to sell these products without harping on about diseases is difficult, admits Stephen Moon, commercial director of functional ingredients and foods group Provexis, which is about to launch its Sirco blood thinning drink and license its Fruitflow tomato extract (Sirco's active ingredient), to other manufacturers for use in JUICES, DAIRY PRODUCTS AND SNACKS.

"The technical side isn't hard," he says. "Fruitflow is robust and adaptable, water soluble and easy to mask; it can stand heat treatments and has a good shelf life in most products [six months]. The difficulty is getting the message across. It works by reducing the mechanism [platelet aggregation] responsible for blood clots. That's what kills you when you have a heart attack. But how do you talk to consumers about that?"

http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/2659/Don't_mention_the_c-word.html

GN

bit of bad news which should see the sp drop today. buying opportunity or is it time to get out ??

Provexis PLC
20 April 2006


PROVEXIS PLC
('Provexis' or the 'Company')

Change to current Sirco Listings

Provexis, the nutraceutical company that develops scientifically-proven
functional and medical foods, announces that J Sainsbury will de-list SircoTM
from 17 May 2006.

In a quarterly range review, the retailer announced a wide-ranging
rationalisation of chilled juice brands, encompassing both established brands
and some newer products, including Sirco(TM).

This decision by J Sainsbury has no impact on our distribution agreements with
Tesco and Waitrose and Sirco(TM)continues to see an increasing rate of sale in
both the 550 Tesco stores and 120 Waitrose stores in which the product is sold.
Furthermore, the Company is in discussions with other major multiple and high
street retailers to extend distribution of the existing one litre product and
also the forthcoming 250ml single-serving pack.

Commenting on the news, Dr Stephen Franklin said:

'Naturally we are frustrated to lose a customer in the early stages of launch,
whilst we are establishing the brand with consumers via our national marketing
campaign. However, we understand that this decision has been made by J Sainsbury
as a result of the significant rationalisation of its juice category. Our
remaining customer base is extensive and we are increasing the rate of sale at
these stores. In addition, we are progressing discussions with other retailers
in order to increase our distribution within the multiple grocer and health
channels.'

Hi bosley,

I have been reading the much more extensive posting on iii though some of it seems to be more bickering than discussing.....

I have just bought a few more with the view that this is an over reaction and that the news also suggest sales are doing well in the other stores. It has also been noted that the licensing agreements are the key to success and that this product is to some extent only a proof of concept.

Results in a few weeks may hold the key for this longer term outlook/growth.

agreed global nomad. it does look like an over reaction but the news did spur the company to give an indication of how well sales are going in the other stores. i don't understand why they seem to be targeting the traditionally higher end supermarkets. what's wrong with asda/morrisons? surely they are not being snobbish? hopefully , the results will give some numbers rather than percentages. i hate percentages as they can be so misleading.

A minor hiccup. pxs has huge potential. Very short sighted of Sainsbury's to reject a potential 'brand name' product imho. It's not helped by the fact of being a single product company at the moment.

Nothing to say they won't re-instate in the future.

Patience.

jtf

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thanks for your time

Reckon Sainsbury is not significant in terms of the larger picture. Agree GlobNom (should that be lobGnome?) that this is really proof of concept for the larger licensing deals, particularly in US. Given its minor significance, lopping 1/6th off the sp makes little sense and gives a buying opportunity.

Eric

absolutely, stay on the rails GWR

Really surprised to see continual weakness given that the Sainsbury delisting was not that significant in the larger scenario: licensing deals; additional clients; US. Buying opportuntity.

Eric

Topped up today. It seems to me that the potential numbers from licensing deals could be way ahead of the cap. The current sp is one-third back from the peak following the announcement of the three super-market deals; suspect the Sainsbury setback is a mere hiccough. But my main argument is that we have not had an announcement for some time yet they are busy developing opportunities, particularly in the US. Such a deal must lead to a re-rating of the share.

Eric

I don't think the current price of PXS makes much sense. The drop on the Sainsbury news was on pretty low volume, signifantly less than a single day's trading in Novemeber and January. The price is approximately that before the news from the supermarkets but PXS has clearly made good progress since then with Sirco, US approval has been obtained and we also know now that talks are progressing re licensing the Fruitflow product for use with other drink which sounds potentially much more profitable than building up your own distribution business. My view is that the sp will return to around 10p, probably by the end of the month, and then take a significant jump when a licensing deal is done. I am in with a CFD so plan to accumulate as the sp rises.

Eric