Cystic Fibrosis Symptoms Reversed In Animal Model By Correcting Fatty Acid Imbalance
04:05 p.m Oct 19, 1998 Eastern
COLUMBIA, Md.--(BW HealthWire)--October 19, 1998-- High Doses of Martek's Neuromins DHA Reversed Lung and Pancreas
Symptoms In Genetically Altered Cystic Fibrosis Mice
Martek Biosciences Corporation (NASDAQ: MATK) today announced that two medical scientists representing a research team affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, presented the results of years of experiments that tested their novel theory surrounding the cause of Cystic Fibrosis (CF). Drs. Juan Alvarez and Steven Freedman made their announcement last week in a presentation titled "Administration of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Reverses the Pathological Manifestations of Cystic Fibrosis in CFTR (-/-) Mice" at the Twelfth Annual North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The abstract, numbered 274, was published in Pediatric Pulmonolgy, Supplement 17, October 1998. Drs. Alvarez and Freedman proposed that an imbalance between arachidonic acid (AA) and DHA in the cell linings of the pancreas, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract in CF patients explains the disease's common symptoms. The two medical scientists tested their theory on mice genetically altered to mimic symptoms of the disease, a standard CF animal model. Independent of Martek, the researchers found Neuromins DHA at a local health food store and tried it with the CF mice because it was the purest source of DHA oil commercially available. Upon using Neuromins DHA, the CF symptoms in the affected mice were reversed, and the CF mice approached the normalcy of the wild mice, which served as the control group.
"Martek is very excited about these results because to our knowledge no drug or therapy has ever reversed CF symptoms in this mouse model. However, we don't want to give anyone any false hopes since research now needs to be conducted directly in CF patients. There can be no assurance as yet that Martek's Neuromins DHA will have the same effect that it did in mice," said Henry Linsert, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Martek Biosciences Corporation.
CF is an inherited disease, the common outward symptoms of which are chronic coughing, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia caused by abnormal mucus in the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. Additionally, lung obstruction and infection, poor digestion and poor food absorption are characteristics of the disease. This condition can be fatal in childhood but children with milder forms may live to adulthood with the average age of survival being about 30 years. In the U.S. there are 25,000-30,000 CF patients, 1 in 30 people are CF carriers, and 1 in 2,000-3,000 newborns are born with CF. The annual treatment cost per patient is $40,000-$50,000.
DHA is an important building block of the brain and visual tissues. DHA is found in the diet and is a component of human breast milk, and many researchers believe DHA is important for mental and visual development. Martek's DHA oil was originally developed as an infant formula ingredient and today is in infant formulas in over 30 countries. Martek began selling its DHA oil in the form of Neuromins(TM) DHA capsules as a nutritional supplement for the brain and eyes in 1997. Today, Neuromins(TM) DHA nutritional supplements are sold in approximately 5,000 nutritional and health products stores nationwide under the Leiner Health Products, Natrol Inc. (NASDAQ: NTOL), Nature's Way, Nutraceutical's Solaray(R) brand, Solgar Vitamin and Herb Company, and Source Naturals brands. In addition, Neuromins(TM) DHA supplements are sold at Vitamin World stores (NASDAQ: NBTY) and under the private label of Safeway (NYSE: SWY). Neuromins(TM) DHA supplements can also be purchased through Martek's website at http: 1/4 1/4www.martekbio.com, or by calling Martek's 1-800-662-6339 number directly.
This press release contains forward-looking statements including statements regarding the potential benefits of Martek's oils. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause future actual results to differ due to a variety of risk factors, including without limitations to those factors set forth in Exhibit 99.1 to the Company's Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 1998 and from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Martek Biosciences Corporation develops, manufactures and sells products from microalgae. The Company's products include: (1) specialty, edible oils for infant formula, nutritional supplements and foods which play a central role in the development of the eyes and central nervous system; (2) high value reagents to visualize molecular interactions for drug discovery and development and; (3) new, powerful fluorescent markers for diagnostics, rapid miniaturized screening, and gene and protein detection.
Copyright 1998, Business Wire
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