WINNIPEG, Manitoba – February 27, 2013 - Miraculins Inc. (TSX-V:MOM), a medical diagnostic company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing diagnostic tests and risk assessment technologies for unmet clinical needs, is pleased to provide the market with an update on a series of rolling PreVu® POC Skin Cholesterol Testing Clinics that are scheduled to be held across Canada throughout March and April and into the spring.
“Over 80 pharmacies under the London Drugs banner in Western Canada and the PharmaChoice banner in Eastern Canada, are currently preparing to launch PreVu POC Testing Clinics, in every province except Quebec, this coming March and April,” said Paul Moreau, Vice President, Sales and Marketing for Miraculins Inc. “The London Drugs Clinics represent the second stage of PreVu POC Testing expansion plans through the pharmacy’s chain and the PharmaChoice Clinics represent the leading edge of network expansion into PharmaChoice pharmacies in Eastern Canada. Expansion news related to the Quebec pharmacy segment is anticipated at the conclusion of sales and marketing discussions with interested parties currently underway.”
“The commencement of these extensive PreVu POC Testing Clinics will also mark the continuation of an expansive public relations campaign by Miraculins to further raise marketplace awareness about the test and its benefits. In addition, specially developed educational programming is being made available to help educate healthcare professionals, general practitioners and lipid specialists about the science behind PreVu and the technology’s clinical utility and application,” added Moreau.
A complete list of the London Drugs and PharmaChoice PreVu POC Testing locations featuring clinics in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland for this March and April can be accessed at http://www.prevu.com/PreVu_Clinics.pdf. Additional locations will continue to be added in both Eastern and Western Canada in the months that follow, with the expectation that participating stores will transition to offering PreVu POC testing as an ongoing risk assessment service available either through walk-up request or by appointment, as well as through ongoing rotating clinics.
About the PreVu Non-Invasive Skin Cholesterol Test
The PreVu® Non-Invasive Skin Cholesterol Point of Care (POC) Test is a non-invasive, risk assessment technology designed to measure skin cholesterol – an important new biomarker in assessing risk of coronary artery disease (“CAD”). The PreVu® POC Test is completely painless, non-invasive, involves no blood draw or needles, and requires no overnight fasting. This in vitro diagnostic test is conducted on the palm of the hand in less than 5 minutes with results being immediately available, facilitating point of care consultation and a next steps discussion. Skin cholesterol is the cholesterol that has been deposited and diffused into tissue, as opposed to freely circulating in the bloodstream, and the skin contains approximately 11% of all the cholesterol found in the human body, by weight. Elevated skin cholesterol has been shown in clinical studies to be strongly associated with significant CAD as measured by treadmill stress testing and coronary angiography, as well as measured by testing for coronary calcium, carotid artery thickening, and carotid artery plaque. The PreVu POC Test does not diagnose the presence or absence of CAD, but helps to identify patients who may be at higher, hidden risk for CAD by measuring this new biomarker. For more information visit www.prevu.com.
About Miraculins Inc.
Miraculins is a medical diagnostic company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing non-invasive tests for unmet clinical needs. A significant number of promising diagnostic opportunities remain un-commercialized because of the sizable gap between the discovery stage, when research institutions are typically involved, and the commercialization stage, when the larger commercial enterprises become interested. Miraculins has direct experience in bridging this gap. The Company’s PreVu® technology is a revolutionary new coronary artery disease risk assessment technology that measures cholesterol levels in a patient’s skin non-invasively, painlessly and without the need for fasting. Miraculins is also advancing a suite of biomarkers to aid in the early detection of the devastating disease of pregnancy known as preeclampsia. The Company’s preeclampsia program is partnered with Alere Inc., one of the world’s largest diagnostic companies. For more information visit www.miraculins.com.