Ceapro Inc. Expands Collaboration with Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) with New Clinical Study Evaluating Flagship Product, Avenanthramide

Ceapro Inc. a growth-stage biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of active ingredients for healthcare and cosmetic industries, announced that it has entered into a research agreement for a Phase 1 safety and pharmacokinetic study with its flagship product avenanthramide. This clinical study is part of the long-term formal collaboration signed in 2018 with the prestigious Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) and will be led by Jean-Claude Tardif, CM, MD, Director of the Montreal Heart Institute Research Center.

“As we are entering into the last phase of our trial with MHI for our beta-glucan as a potential cholesterol lowering agent, we are honoured to expand our work with the expert team from MHI to conduct a Phase 1 clinical trial to assess the safety and tolerability of our flagship product, avenanthramide, which is well known for its anti-histaminic and anti-inflammatory properties. While some studies have been conducted with various formulations of avenanthramides, to our knowledge none have been done with such a pure pharmaceutical grade formulation. The expertise of the team at MHI, one of the best research Institute specializing in cardiovascular disease in Canada and beyond, is exactly in line with Ceapro’s strategic sector of activities in lifestyle, inflammation and immune-based diseases. This agreement is another step in the expansion of Ceapro’s business model from a contract manufacturer to a life science company,” commented Gilles R. Gagnon, M.Sc., MBA, President and CEO of Ceapro.

Dr. Tardif added, “We are pleased to enter into this new clinical study with Ceapro to evaluate their flagship product, avenanthramide. Because many cardiovascular diseases are inflammation-based, we are quite excited to initiate, hopefully very soon, a clinical trial aimed at evaluating Ceapro’s avenanthramide as a potential therapeutic and/or as a preventive natural product to manage and potentially decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Due to their favorable safety profile, active ingredients from natural products such as avenanthramide generate significant interest in preventing and managing chronic lifestyle diseases.’’

This safety and tolerability study will assess six escalating doses of avenanthramide given orally to healthy volunteers. A unique formulation of Ceapro’s avenanthramide is also under development through a partnership with Montreal-based COREALIS Pharma Inc., a specialty drug design company.