Forbes Medi-Tech Files U.S. Patent - Appoints Medical Advisory Board Member

Business Wire, Jan 13, 1997

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 13, 1997-- Forbes Medi-Tech Inc (VSE FMI.)

U.S. PATENT APPLICATION

Forbes Medi-Tech Inc. is pleased to announce that it has filed a U.S. Provisional Patent Application for methods of assessing and improving biological membrane function and plant sterol-based pharmaceutical compositions for treating and preventing membrane disorders and deficiencies.

This technology, once developed, could have significant medical implications as deficiencies in membrane function may be correlated to various serious diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer (breast, colon, rectal, prostate) as well as Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, diabetes and obesity.

A healthy membrane is one having the correct fluid balance allowing it to function most efficiently as a selective permeable barrier between a cell and its environment. Membranes which are high in cholesterol (including monosaturated and saturated fatty acids) are less fluid and more rigid allowing the passage of many damaging compounds such as carcinogens (cancer causing agents) and teratogens (that can cause genetic damage) through the membrane into the cell.

Preliminary research by the Company has found that membranes treated with its proprietary plant sterol compositions are healthier, more fluid and more protective of the cell. These properties may have significant medical implications for all of the diseases mentioned above, and for those diseases which have a membrane-dependent mechanism of action.

In addition, this Application also provides for the development of a diagnostic test for medical personnel to assess membrane function in a patient. This diagnostic test, once developed, could be a significant breakthrough as an outwardly healthy patient may have compromised membrane function indicative of many serious early state diseases, which would otherwise remain undetected and thus untreated for long periods of time.

APPOINTMENT OF PROFESSOR HAYDN PRITCHARD

Forbes is also pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Haydn Pritchard, Director, Atherosclerosis Specialty Laboratory at St. Paul's Hospital and Professor, Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia as a member of its Medical Advisory Board.

"We are very pleased to have Professor Pritchard join our Board," said Dr. Dwight Peretz, Chairman of the Medical Advisory Board. "His knowledge and experience will certainly enhance the Board's expertise in the area of cardiovascular research and Forbes' on-going projects at the Atherosclerosis Specialty Laboratory at St. Paul's Hospital."

Professor Pritchard received his B.Sc. (Honours) degree in Applied Biology from Trent Polytechnic in Nottingham, UK and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Nottingham in 1978. Since his appointment at the University of British Columbia later that year, he has distinguished himself in teaching, research and professional activities. He is a member of the Canadian Society for Clinical Investigation, Canadian Atherosclerosis Society and the Canadian Lipoprotein Conference as well as Fellow of the American Heart Association. His appointments have included Chairman of the British Columbia Health Research Foundation's Basic Science and New Investigator Committees and a Member of the Canadian Heart Foundation Scientific Review Committee. He also serves as an external reviewer of 5 scientific journals; has authored over 80 scientific papers; and has organized and presented at numerous national and international conferences.

FORBES MEDI-TECH INC. is a bio-technology Company involved in the research and development of valuable pharmaceutical products from the by-products of the pulp and forest industry. In addition to actively researching forest-derived phytosterols for the use as cholesterol lowering agent, the Company is devoting its efforts to the production and commercialization of Androstenedione, a starting material used for the manufacture of various pharmaceutical steroid drugs.

For more information, please contact Don Lay, Investor Relations, at (604) 681-8976.

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CONTACT: Forbes Medi-Tech Inc.

Don Lay, 604/681-8976