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Functional Foods for Management of PreDiabetes First Target for Manitoba and Minnesota Collaboration

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Functional Foods for Management of PreDiabetes First Target for Manitoba and Minnesota Collaboration

Development of Drug Free, Food-based therapies to delay the onset of diabetes

San Diego, California - (June 24, 2014) - Manitoba Agri-Health Research Network, Inc. (MAHRN), a developer of novel functional agri-ingredients, and Minnesota-based Step One Foods, the pioneer in food-based solutions for chronic disease, today launched a multi-staged strategy using food and nutrient therapies to address prediabetes. In support of the project, Manitoba Jobs and the Economy is investing C$200,000 to support clinical trials this fall between the Canadian Centre for Agri Food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM) at St Boniface Research Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The announcement was made during the Manitoba Breakfast at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) 2014 convention in San Diego.

"Managing chronic diseases like prediabetes requires novel and efficacious approaches that not only treat the underlying condition but also provide quality of life for sufferers," says Lee Anne Murphy, Executive Director of MAHRN. "We are excited by the opportunity to incorporate many of the health promoting crops and ingredients from the Canadian Prairies into a chronic disease management system based on tasty, functional and easy to consume food products. Step One Foods provides the production, marketing and distribution expertise required to ensure novel functional foods get to the end users," she continues. Murphy indicates the Canadian clinical research will be lead by Dr Carla Taylor of CCARM. The food and ingredient prototypes will be produced by the Food Development Centre in Portage la Prairie from Manitoba crops including Saskatoon berries, flax, canola, pulse flours and oats. Prediabetes refers to blood glucose (sugar) levels that are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes (i.e. a fasting plasma glucose level of 7.0 mmol/L or higher) (Canadian Diabetes Association, 2014). The CDA estimates approximately 5.7 million Canadians have prediabetes; many of whom will develop type 2 diabetes.

The province’s C$200,000 investment is matched by US$200,000 USD from Step One Foods in support of the Mayo Clinic arm of the study. Step One Foods and MAHRN are working together as TM Therapeutics to co-develop functional food products targeting chronic disease.

About MAHRN
Manitoba Agri-Health Research Network, Inc. members test and assess plant and animal based bioactives, from the producer through clinical proof of safety and efficacy to product development and commercialization. MAHRN is anchored by world-class facilities including Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM); Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals (RCFFN); and Food Development Centre (FDC), MAHRN members. For more information about Manitoba’s vibrant functional food and nutraceutical industry, please visit www.mahrn.ca.

About Step One Foods
Step One Foods is the pioneer in food-based treatment of chronic disease. This women-owned, Minnesota-based life science company works with clinicians, health insurers, health systems, and wellness companies to revolutionize health and disease care. To learn more about Step One Foods, visit www.StepOneFoods.com.

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Contacts:
Lee Anne Murphy, PhD
MAHRN
lam@mahrn.ca
204-228-3971


Shelley Kudelka
Padilla CRT
Shelley.Kudelka@padillacrt.com
612-455-1740 

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