Financial Press: Miraculins Leads Future of Global Health Tech Innovation

Vancouver, BC (PRWEB) April 18, 2013

Diabetes rates in Canada have doubled over the past decade, with one in every three Canadians projected to have either diabetes or pre-diabetes by 2020. The shocking statistics were published this month by the Canadian Diabetes Association, which advised all health care professionals to screen wisely and diagnose precisely to help doctors identify the disease quicker.

The latest figures from the International Diabetes Federation reveal that currently 366 million people have diabetes worldwide, and 4.6 million deaths are due to diabetes. A staggering US$ 465 billion is spent on care for diabetes across the globe. This disease is one of the centurys greatest health challenges and remains on a relentlessly upwards trajectory. Both organizations agree that early and reliable diabetes testing is one measure that could potentially save more lives.

Enter Miraculins Inc., a Canadian medical diagnostic company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing diagnostic tests and risk assessment technologies for unmet clinical needs, which has just announced it has signed a Term Sheet to acquire an innovative non-invasive screening test for diabetes that is already approved for sale in Canada and Europe.

The SCOUT system is the first non-invasive diabetes screening system designed to provide a highly sensitive and convenient method for screening for pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes based on the presence of diabetes-related biomarkers found in skin. Unlike current screening methods, a SCOUT test requires no blood draw, no fasting, and no waiting for a lab result.

The SCOUT represents an exceptional opportunity for Miraculins, says Christopher J. Moreau, Miraculins CEO and president. It adds to our story and builds on our value equation of offering non-invasive screening technology. We have been in negotiations for some time with the owners to acquire the SCOUT - which is US based.

Miraculins currently works with products that already have worldwide potential. The company already has two technology programs that have captured the attention of the global healthcare industry because of their unique value.

The first is a skin cholesterol test called PreVu, and the second technology is for a disease called preeclampsia, a devastating and growing disease of pregnancy affecting 5 to 8 percent of women worldwide regardless of ethnicity.

The PreVu Non-Invasive Skin Cholesterol Point of Care Test is a completely painless and non-invasive test, which involves no blood draw or needles, requires no overnight fasting and involves no handling of potentially hazardous biomaterials. The test is conducted on the palm of the hand in less than five minutes with results being immediately available, facilitating point of care consultation and a next steps discussion.

Skin cholesterol is an important new biomarker in assessing risk of coronary artery disease, Moreau says. As such, the PreVu test can serve as a convenient first step in the global risk assessment process, reaching those who have not been assessed, or who avoid blood testing, and providing them with a tipping point for greater personal action and resolve in looking after their heart health.

Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of death in Canada and a difficult condition to detect. There are more than 7.2 million heart attacks globally every year and growing, and 540 million blood cholesterol tests performed annually worldwide.

Miraculins closed on the PreVu transaction in the fall of 2010. It took the company about two years to get the product ready for market.

For Miraculins to manufacture and sell a diagnostic device, we needed to become International Standards Organization (ISO) certified, and that took us about a year, explains Moreau. Our company had to undergo tremendous change. We were basically a research and development company prior to acquiring the PreVu, and then we had to go through all these significant changes to become certified. It was a great exercise because it forced us a company to make sure that all of our systems and processes were consistent with the international standard.

The second lead technology Miraculins has developed is for a serious disease of pregnancy called preeclampsia. The disease affects more than 6.4 million pregnancies per year in the US and 134 million worldwide, with a cost of more than $ 3 billion annually to the global healthcare system.

Preeclampsias rapidly progressive condition, characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine, can quickly accelerate and result in seizure, coma, kidney failure and death for both mother and child. The technology was being advanced through a collaborative research and option agreement with Alere, Inc.; one of the worlds largest diagnostic companies with professional and consumer offerings in over 100 disease categories, and a market capitalization of $ 2 billion. Alere recently licensed from Miraculins the lead marker in the companys preeclampsia program.

We were excited to have partnered a key part of our preeclampsia technology with a major international diagnostics company and they are responsible for advancing a test through regulatory approval and on to commercial sales. says Moreau.

Miraculins business model is to license and acquire business technology that can either be acquired from a research institution or a university, or another company.

We are one of a handful of Canadian diagnostic companies that have been able to get a product through the regulatory approval process required so that we can begin to start selling, Moreau says.

The way we found out about the SCOUT opportunity was through one of our distribution partners in Canada called Pear Healthcare, which represents us in the retail pharmacy market. There are striking similarities with the SCOUT and PreVu. It's non-invasive and it involves taking a reading of the skin, and even though the two tests are different what I found interesting was that we are looking for a risk marker for heart disease, and the SCOUT is identifying people who are pre-diabetic, since diabetes is also a risk factor for heart disease.

In today's technologically advanced world, tests that are non-invasive will be the future, so it was interesting that PreVu was being represented by Pear Healthcare while they were simultaneously representing the SCOUT, Moreau says.

Miraculins partnered with Pear Healthcare last year and initially launched a PreVu pilot program with London Drugs, one of western Canadas leading pharmacy chains, in the fall of 2012. Based on the success of that pilot, London agreed to offer the PreVu test at one day rotating clinics at all of its 76 locations. Miraculins then secured a launch agreement with the 350 store PharmaChoice pharmacy network earlier this year to introduce the PreVu test in Ontario and Atlantic Canada in the spring of 2013, through a Phase One launch in up to 50 of its stores, with the hope of expanding the program to all of the stores in the fall.

About three months ago we heard that a private US based company called Veralight, the owners and developers of the SCOUT, were having financial difficulty, Moreau says.

We reached out to them and we emerged as the lead potential merger and acquisition partner for this technology. A significant factor in having Miraculins considered as a potential acquirer of the Scout is that many of the markets we envision selling the PreVu test into would be identical for the SCOUT. From that context, we think it's a good fit because we can assume the operational aspects of the SCOUT by only adding incremental costs to our overhead and without dramatically adding to our sales and marketing budget.

Miraculins is designed to have more than one product. As a medical diagnostic development company, Miraculins has

TriDerma Growth Leads to Hire of New Sales Vice President

Anaheim, CA (PRWEB) May 30, 2013

TriDerma, a manufacturer of skin care products, announced today that Angie Echele will lead the companys U.S. sales efforts as Vice President of Sales.

Angie Echele has a well-rounded background in consumer packaged goods (CPG), having managed some of the countrys largest retail accounts, first at Purina and later at Energizer Battery. Ms. Echele has spent the last seven years putting lessons learned at big brands to work for small and medium companies via Genesis Sales and Marketing and her own firm, Transformation Sales and Marketing, LLC. Ms. Echele provided market feasibility studies for clients interested in expanding into the Food, Drug, Mass or Club channels, conducted pre-market due diligence to ready clients for U.S. launch, developed sales and marketing strategy and managed ongoing marketing and sales operations for various CPG clients.

Gloria Vanderlaan, President of TriDerma said, Angies career includes over 20 years in sales and brand marketing. She brings a diverse background and a unique perspective regarding how we can improve retail partnerships and increase consumer loyalty. Angies experience and insights will complement our existing staff and help to grow our business. We are thrilled to have Angie on our team.

The TriDerma brand features over 50 specialized skin care items, each created for specific, hard-to-heal skin conditions. The company is growing and Ms. Echele said, I'm excited to be working with the great team at TriDerma, truly the best skin care on the market.

About Triderma

Headquartered in Anaheim, California, TriDerma has provided fast healing without a prescription for 21 years. Founded upon the determination of one woman seeking a natural healing solution, TriDerma now manufactures over 50 products available online and in the First Aid, Skin Care and Baby section of drugstores and supercenters across the U.S. and the world. TriDerma formulas are purpose-driven to help heal specific skin conditions without the use of cortisone, steroids, parabens or other harmful ingredients. Proprietary formulations made in the USA ensure quality and efficacy are never compromised. TriDerma is a women-owned company. For more information and a store locator go to http://www.Triderma.com. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/TriDerma.

Contact:

Angie Echele

636-633-6499

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New Year Crash Dieting Leads to February Follicle Fallout Dr. Alan J. Bauman

Boca Raton, Florida (PRWEB) January 31, 2013

The first few months of every year are often referred to as weight loss season among physicians as countless Americans turn to extreme diets to meet New Years resolutions or to lose the extra pounds they packed on during the holiday season. But, as Alan J. Bauman, M.D. explains, what many men and women dont realize is that so-called crash dieting isnt just bad for the body, it can also lead to temporary hair loss.

We see this every year around February, like clockwork, said Dr. Bauman, a board-certified hair restoration surgeon and national hair science consultant for health care and consumer products companies. Four to six weeks after the start of a crash diet, major shedding occurs throughout the crown of the head. Its a condition known as telogen effluvium in this case, caused by a steep drop in nutrients to the body, which forces some hair follicles to shed their hair strands and go into a prolonged resting phase during which time no new hairs are grown. Fortunately for patients, this condition is usually temporary, but it can still take six to 10 months for the hair to return back to normal. The condition can be truly frightening for many people, particularly younger women, so its important that people understand its causes and prognosis.

Each year starting in February, Bauman and other hair loss specialists and dermatologists see an influx of new patients concerned about sudden hair loss resulting from New Year-inspired crash diets. According to Bauman, many patients falsely believe that the shedding or hair loss will stop as soon as they end their diet, which he calls a dangerous misconception. The reality is, first its going to take a few months to see all the shedding, then a minimum of six months for the body to stabilize and the hair follicles to return to normal operation; but, for some, the loss may be permanent, he cautioned, especially in those people who have a tendency toward genetic hair thinning.

Because there is a risk for long-term or even permanent hair loss, Bauman advises those patients who begin to experience shedding, thinning or decreased hair volume or coverage to consult with a full-time board-certified hair restoration physician who can help assess the risks for hereditary hair loss, as well as scientifically track and monitor the hairs progress and prescribe a course of treatment in more serious cases. Similar to hair loss associated with childbirth and menopause, a readily treatable tendency toward permanent hereditary hair loss may be revealed by this typically temporary situation.

HairCheck Monitoring:

The HairCheck device is one of the many tools being used by Bauman and his team to determine the extent of damage to a patients hair. HairCheck is a simple, painless, non-invasive way to measure and track the amount of hair growing in a given area of scalp (called the Hair Mass Index or "HairNumber"). The highly sensitive hand-held trichometer, measures hair caliber and hair density together and expresses them as a single number. It can also measure the percentage of hair breakage, which is a common cause of hair loss. Tracking these numbers over time can help determine the extent and rate of a patients hair loss and/or breakage and inform them of any changes. HairCheck can also be used to quantify the degree of hair breakage from harsh hair care regimens or hair loss from extreme diets.

The data we collect provides consumers with actionable information by combining scientific hair tracking measurements with a series of non-invasive, easy-to-follow hair improvement plans and options, explained Bauman.

Dr. Baumans Nutrition Tips for Healthy Hair:

While the HairCheck and other tools allow doctors a better understanding of the damage a patients hair has suffered, the best way to protect the hair is through preventative measures. One of the simplest preventative actions consumers can take is a healthy diet, which gives the hair the vitamins and nutrients it needs.

Everyone knows that what you eat greatly affects your health, but people too often overlook the fact that the same is true for your hair, Bauman advised. Whether you want to reduce the risk of shedding or increase your hair's fullness, shine or thickness, the first step to achieving healthy hair is eating well and maintaining a balanced diet.

Increased Awareness Leads to Increasing Vitamin D Sales for Luxe BC

(PRWEB UK) 24 April 2013

Vitamin D is a much needed vitamin for the body and is an extremely important contributor to healthy mineralization and growth of bones. Vitamin D is naturally produced after exposure to ultraviolet light which is then converted to a hormone called calcitriol in the kidneys which is responsible for regulating calcium levels within the blood.

Pharmacies and online stores are stocking up on varieties of Vitamin D as the body can produce it by taking supplements in the form of capsules or liquids. Luxe BC is an online store which provides a selection of Vitamin D as they understand the importance of consuming it on a daily basis to ensure the body is healthy. Sales Manager, Adam Poules from Luxe BC states Awareness in the UK has increased but this information still needs to be given to mums who have small children. He then added: Over the years, there has been lots of media coverage on the importance about Vitamin D so people are becoming more educated on it.

Luxe BC has seen an increase in their sales for Vitamin D due to the media coverage surrounding maintaining healthy lifestyles which is why they offer such a selection to choose from. Poules added: Luxe BC offer a selection of Vitamin D in capsules, tablets and liquids so if people have a preference they will be sure to find it at Luxe BC and the stock is always fresh which ensures the longest shelf life on all products.

Many people did not realise the importance of Vitamin D in the past but now the media has started to state the important factors of Vitamin D; it has provoked more people to find ways to produce Vitamin D in their bodies. Even famous A-list celebrity actress, Jennifer Aniston, has brought attention to Vitamin D as she recently stated in an interview that she ensures she spends 20 minutes a day in the sun to produce the vitamin as part of her healthy lifestyle plan, and, Jennifer is constantly the picture of health which is inspiration to entice people to take Vitamin D every day.

There are many more benefits to Vitamin D which include; increasing life span, boosting immunity, helping to heal wounds and helping people sleep better. It can also help to prevent major disease, reduce depression and contribute towards weight loss.

The public can find a selection of healthy Vitamin D supplements at LUXE BC and they cater to special diets including; gluten free, kosher, sugar free, vegan, vegetarian and more.

Luxe BC Ltd was established in 2010 and their office is in West Yorkshire, United Kingdom. They are a fast growing online beauty company committed to bringing their customers high quality products.

Blowing off Breakfast Leads to Faster Weight Loss, Says Weight Loss and Fitness Expert Mike T Nelson

White Bear Lake, Minnesota (PRWEB) May 04, 2013

Weight loss and fitness expert Mike T Nelson, an adjunct professor and member of the American College of Sports Medicine, says skipping breakfast is an easy way to lose weight.

I know this is somewhat of a controversial notion, said Nelson, who recently spoke at the 2013 Arnold Sports Festival. But scientific research as well as good old common sense is squarely on my side.

According to Nelson, whose research has been published in scientific journals, Unless youre raiding the fridge in the wee small hours of the morning, your insulin levels should be at their lowest point as you awake. Thats great for people interested in losing weight, because when insulin levels are low, it pushes your body to rely on stored body fat as its main energy source. The result? Youre going to burn more fat and lose weight faster.

Reduced caloric consumption is also an obvious, but it is an important benefit from blowing off breakfast to lose weight, he says. While there are a million diets on the market, the fact is that when it comes to weight loss calories still matter! Ive found that most people, if not all, can skip (or at least push out) breakfast and not feel deprived by doing either. The truth is that lots of people are simply so busy getting kids ready for school, and trying to get to work on time themselves, they dont have time for breakfast even if they wanted to roll through a fast food restaurant or stop for a jelly donut. By simplifying your morning by skipping breakfast, youll be consuming fewer calories, and naturally losing weight faster.

Nelson, who is a PhD candidate in Exercise Physiology and holds a Masters in Biomechanics, says this isnt only a theory; there is published research to back up the tactics of blowing off breakfast to encourage faster weight loss.

One of the most trusted forms of research methodology is a randomized, controlled trial, he says. In just such a study (Schlundt DG et al.) 52 overweight adults were divided into two groups. One group skipped breakfast and the other group ate breakfast. The no-breakfast group ate two meals per day, while the breakfast group ate three meals per day. Both groups consumed the same amount of calories only at different times.

The result? He said the group that blew off breakfast lost almost six more pounds than the breakfast-eating group. Im convinced, if you can manage to skip breakfast, youre going to lose weight faster without really having to work at it, adds Mike, who will be a featured speaker at the Leading Training & Fitness Conference April 13th at the Alexandria Technical & Community College in Alexandria, Minnesota. The moral of the story is to allow your body to burn fat on an empty stomach in the morning hours, instead of loading up on a carb-filled breakfast.

Get Mikes free six part fat loss video program at: http://MikeTNelson.com.