Forbes Medi-Tech Inc. - Dietary Supplements

What are Phytosterols? What is Cholesterol? Nutraceutical Products Functional Food Dietary Supplements Glossary of Terms Key Publications (White Papers)		An increasing number of consumers today are taking a more active role in managing their health needs through better diet and lifestyle changes. This is a result of more and better nutritional and medical information as well as the availability of clinically proven over-the-counter dietary supplements. It is estimated that 70% of the U.S. adult population uses dietary supplements. In 2000, dietary supplements accounted for 34.1% of the $47.6 billion US nutrition market, according to Health Business Partners, a Providence, R.I.-based management consulting company. According to the American Heart Association, more than 100 million Americans have high or borderline high cholesterol levels. Forbes believes there is strong market demand for a clinically proven cholesterol-lowering dietary supplement. To meet this demand, the Company is developing two dietary supplement products: a sterol formulation in a softgel capsule; and a combination sterol and omega-3 fatty acids formulation in softgel capsules. The company has filed for a patent on the combination of free sterols and Omega-3 fatty acid. These two products represent a potentially powerful new therapeutic approach for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The cholesterol-lowering properties of plant sterols/stanols have been known since the 1950s. In recent years, the medical community has endorsed consumption of plant sterols/stanols as a safe and effective means of promoting good cardiovascular health. In May 2001, the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel, the U.S. body that provides guidelines to physicians on the management of high cholesterol, issued new clinical guidelines directing doctors to advise their patients to consume two grams of plant sterols/stanols daily to reduce high blood cholesterol levels. There's also a large body of scientific literature linking increased omega-3 fatty acid intake with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and stroke mortality. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce triglyceride levels and improve blood lipids. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce risk factors associated with obesity and type II diabetes by improving fat and glucose-insulin metabolism. Some studies have shown increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids may slightly increase LDL levels, but this increase would be offset by the cholesterol lowering properties of plant sterols and stanols. Omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to have modest blood pressure lowering benefits. The global dietary supplement market represents a very lucrative potential for Forbes. It‚s estimated that three out of five U.S. consumers take dietary supplements on a regular basis to maintain good health, creating a US $1.6 billion dollar annual market for specialty supplements. Similarly, Forbes is very excited about the commercial potential of our patented sterol/omega-3 fatty acids dietary supplement, which will enable Forbes to further enhance a strong presence in the north American supplement market. The strategy is to leverage this presence into certain European and far eastern markets within a reasonable period of time following the initiation of clinical trials. Both omega-3 fatty acids and Forbes phytosterols can be sold in the U.S. under the Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) designation granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Both products can be used as food additives or sold as dietary supplements under the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act (DSHEA). Omega-3 fatty acids have been granted a health claim by the FDA and can indicate may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease on the label. Existing Dietary Supplements In November 2001, Pharmavite Corporation launched Nature Made Cholest-Off™ (www.naturemade.com), a Reducol™-based cholesterol-lowering dietary supplement sold exclusively in food, drug, mass merchandise and club stores in the U.S. The company started a national television advertising campaign with 30 second ads running on network television.		Nutraceutical Products Functional Food Dietary Supplements