George,
Nice move today in advance of news release:
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT - Update on Strategic Developments
July 31, 1997
I am pleased to attach the news release issued today by the Company.
It is my belief that these announcements are significant and worth
expanding upon.
By nature the pharmaceutical industry is shrouded in secrecy, which results
in the company being unable to announce developments as they progress. We
are able to only make known breakthroughs in technology, products and
methods when, in effect, the technology, product or method reaches a "late
stage of development".
For some time now, the management of Helix BioPharma Corp. has been
diligently and efficiently building upon the underlying foundation of the
company in order to gain a competitive edge. This intent required a
long-term strategic plan, which the company has aggressively pursued.
I am pleased to report that with agreements for unique Biosensor Diagnostic
Technology, combined with other, earlier agreements reached with our
partners, Helix BioPharma has taken great strides towards being able to
offer a full range of diagnostic, therapeutic, and drug delivery technologies.
The agreements with PENCE for heterodimer and Biosensor Technology will
result in an incredibly sensitive and cost-effective diagnostic "chip"
system. Another agreement with PENCE gives Helix exclusive world-wide
rights to unique anti-infective technology which combats Candida Albicans,
the organism responsible for oral and vaginal yeast infections. A further
"piece of the jigsaw" was put in place recently with the finalization of
agreements between Saskatoon-based PharmaDerm Laboratories for the
development of PharmaDerm's most advanced pharmaceutical products and
PharmaDerm's Dermal Drug Delivery Systems.
I trust you will agree that HBP has in fact achieved a significant and
promising product package. HBP continues unerringly towards its goal of
being able to diagnose a malady, produce the drug to treat the malady and
deliver the drug to the patient in the most effective manner.
I am also pleased to report that we have been successful in recruiting
respected financial and media consultants in order to capitalize upon these
successes.
I am confident that we have now assembled the technology and the
experienced specialist staff that will enable Helix to continue its success
and move rapidly forward to the next stage of dramatic growth.
I expect to be writing to you in the very near future with further updates
as they reach the final stages.
May I take this opportunity to thank you for your interest and continued
support in these matters. Should you have any queries or comments, please
do not hesitate to contact me at any time.
Terrance G. Owen, Ph.D., M.B.A., President
HELIX BIOPHARMA NEWS RELEASE
TSE & VSE: "HBP"
JULY 31, 1997
215 - 7080 RIVER ROAD
RICHMOND, B.C.
CANADA V6X 1X5
PHONE (604) 270-7468
FAX (604) 270-8208
TOLL FREE 1-800-563-4363
HELIX BIOPHARMA CORP. AND PENCE ANNOUNCE THIRD RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
PARTNERSHIP
(RICHMOND, B.C.) - Helix BioPharma Corp.'s (TSE/VSE: HBP) strategy of
developing alliances with Canadian institutions involved in leading-edge
scientific research and technology has once again resulted in Helix
achieving a competitive advantage. Helix BioPharma Corp. and The Protein
Engineering Network of Centres of Excellence (PENCE) are pleased to
announce the completion of a multi-partner research and development
agreement. Helix and PENCE have been joined by The University of Alberta,
McGill University, The Canadian Microbiology Consortium Inc. and the
Canadian Bacterial Diseases Network (CBDN) to develop novel Biosensor
Diagnostic Technology.
Previous alliances with PENCE have lead to Helix obtaining exclusive
world-wide rights to heterodimer technology, which has a number of
promising biotechnology applications, and to unique carbohydrate-based
anti-infective technology.
Recently, Helix also signed a separate series of agreements with
Saskatoon-based PharmaDerm Laboratories for the development, manufacturing
and marketing of PharmaDerm's most advanced pharmaceutical products, which
utilize its proprietary Dermal Drug Delivery Systems.
These partnerships with universities and research institutions collectively
support the long-term strategy aggressively pursued by Helix BioPharma
Corp. Helix has now made further steps toward achieving its overall
strategic goal of offering a full range of diagnostics, therapeutics, and
drug delivery systems.
The current agreements for Biosensor Technology will capitalize on the
unique strengths of the organizations involved: PENCE in leading-edge
protein engineering, McGill in Biosensor engineering, CBDN in carbohydrate
and virotoxin chemistry ("hamburger disease"), and Helix in the research,
marketing, and registration of biological products. To ensure successful
development of the technology, two of PENCE's postdoctoral fellows, Dr.
Heman Chao and Dr. Wah Wong, have applied for NSERC Industrial Research
Fellowships. These scientists will continue to work in PENCE laboratories,
to be ultimately hired by Helix.
The Network Leader of PENCE, Dr. Robert Hodges, comments that "these new
and exciting interactions with industry partners complement PENCE's
continuing mandate to train excellent scientists who can easily transfer
their skills to industry. This process adds value for all concerned."
Biosensor Technology and its Markets
Biosensor technology is a method of detecting the existence of organisms or
chemical compounds in human blood or in other substances by the use of a
sensing system or diagnostic "chip". An example of a biosensor is a glucose
monitor used by diabetics to detect levels of sugar in the blood. While
the medical market for existing biosensor technology is the largest at over
90% of total biosensor sales, other applications for this technology exist
in the environmental, industrial and military fields. The current world
market for biosensors, still in its infancy, is estimated at over U.S. $400
million annually.
Unique Biosensor Platform
Helix BioPharma and its partners will pursue the development of a unique
Biosensor Technology focusing on a variety of commercial applications. The
Biosensor Technology will utilize a proprietary platform that represents
leading-edge science in diagnostic chip technology. This unique Biosensor
Technology is expected to achieve greater sensitivity and selectivity than
biosensors presently available, and is designed to provide results far more
quickly than is capable with existing biosensor or conventional diagnostic
technology.
A series of patents for the Biosensor Technology under development by Helix
and its partners have been filed in the United States and other countries.
Licensing Rights
Helix BioPharma receives world-wide licensing rights for the Biosensor
Technology focusing on several applications, including those for measuring
biological and chemical substances in the blood such as toxins, hormones,
drugs of abuse, certain pharmaceuticals, and DNA or RNA sequences. Helix's
present strategy is to develop the Biosensor Technology to initially target
various research applications, followed by applications to detect drugs,
hormones, and infectious organisms.
In exchange for its worldwide licensing rights, Helix is required to pay
license fees of $100,000 on the commencement date and $50,000 per year for
the next two years, plus a final payment of $200,000 upon the earlier of
issuance of patents in the U.S. or the first commercial sale of a product
using the unique Biosensor Technology. The final payment can be made by
combination of cash and shares. The foregoing transaction is subject to
regulatory approval. Helix has also committed to contribute over $600,000
in cash and equipment toward research and development of the Biosensor
Technology over the next year. PENCE, U of A and McGill will retain a
royalty of 5% of the net sales revenue generated from the sale of products
incorporating the unique Biosensor Technology, with annual minimum
royalties due following the first commercial sale.
Helix BioPharma Corp. is an emerging health-care company focused on the
development and commercialization of pharmaceuticals and other biomedical
technologies. Helix has entered into strategic alliances with PENCE and
PharmaDerm Laboratories through which the Company has obtained diagnostic,
therapeutic, and drug delivery technologies. Headquartered in Richmond,
B.C., the Company has offices across Canada and internationally in Ireland,
and is publicly-traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
Dated at Richmond, B.C. this 31st Day of July, 1997.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Terrance G. Owen, Ph.D., M.B.A., President
The Toronto and Vancouver Stock Exchanges have not reviewed and do not
accept responsibility for the adequacy of the content of the information
contained herein.
Helix BioPharma trades on the TSE and VSE under the symbol "HBP"
Investor Contact:
Jason Van Bergen
Helix BioPharma Corp.
Tel: (604) 270-7468
Fax: (604) 270-8208
E-mail: invrelations@helixbiopharma.ca
Web site: helixbio.com
Media Contact:
Sarah Temple
Barr & Wilcox Group
Tel: (604) 488-1100
Fax: (604) 488-1122
E-mail: bwgroup@axionet.com
Web site: newshook.com |
