Biohit Oyj Stock Exchange Release October 15, 2014 at 9:30 a.m. local time (EEST)
Biohit Oyj and Biohit Biotech (Hefei) Co., Ltd partners have agreed to start a feasibility study in China regarding Acetium® capsule as a potential medication to arrest the progression and even to restore atrophic gastritis. The agreement includes an option to negotiate a licensing deal concerning the product, in case the outcome of the feasibility study is positive. The feasibility study will be funded by the Chinese partners of joint venture Biohit Biotech (Hefei) Co., Ltd, in co-operation with Hefei Medicine.
Biohit recently designed a double-blind, placebo controlled multi-center clinical trial in Italy, Germany and Estonia testing the effects of its Acetium® capsules in restoration of the structure and function of gastric mucosa in patients with atrophic gastritis. This study is based on an intriguing new hypothesis implicating that prolonged L-cysteine administered by daily intake of Acetium® capsules (300 mg/d) is an effective remedy to i) improve the function of the gastric mucosa among atrophic gastritis patients who have undergone eradication of H.pylori infection, and to ii) induce concomitant recovery (reversal) of the atrophic gastric mucosa in these subjects.
CEO Semi Korpela, Biohit Oyj: ‘We have great expectations from this feasibility study in China, because of the promising preliminary results reported by an Italian research group in a major international conference (Digestive Disease Week; Chicago, May 4, 2014). For the first time, Professor Di Mario and his group provided evidence implicating that a 6-month Acetium® treatment (3 capsules per day) significantly improved the function of stomach mucosa in atrophic gastritis patients, as measured by the GastroPanel® test developed by Biohit. The new trial was designed to confirm whether this improvement in gastric function also coincides the restoration of mucosal structure, by including biopsy confirmation in the study protocol.’
Chief Medical Director Kari Syrjänen, Biohit Oyj: “Given that atrophic gastritis has been traditionally considered as an irreversible condition (with no known cure) characterized by inevitable clinical progression towards gastric cancer, this new hypothesis represents a conceptually pivotal innovation, with widespread clinical implications if proven correct in the ongoing study. Acetium® capsules are intended for elimination of acetaldehyde in the stomach, and the potential therapeutic effect of regular Acetium® capsule intake on atrophic gastritis patients by eliminating acetaldehyde in the stomach contents, would be the definite direct proof of the concept that acetaldehyde is causally associated with the development of gastric cancer.”
CEO Liu Feng, Hefei Medicine: ‘In China, currently there are at least 200 million people suffering from atrophic gastritis. This would be a valuable option in the treatment of this public health issue.’
Additional information:
CEO Semi Korpela, Biohit Oyj
tel. +358 9 773 861
investor.relations@biohit.fi
www.biohithealthcare.com
Attachment: Additional information
Biohit in brief
Biohit Oyj is a globally operating Finnish biotechnology company. Biohit’s mission is “Innovating for Health” – we produce innovative products and services to promote research and early diagnosis. Biohit is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, and has subsidiaries in Italy and the UK. Biohit's Series B share (BIOBV) is quoted on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki in the Small cap/Healthcare group. www.biohithealthcare.com
Hefei Medicine in brief
Hefei Medicine Co. is medicine business in trading with broad experience in medical distribution to Chinese hospitals. In 2013, company’s turnover was over 2.5 Billion RMB (320 million euro). Company is established in 1995 and the company employs today more than 300 people. www.sinamedicine.com
