Forbes Appoints Nutrition Advisory Board
Forbes Medi-Tech Inc. (Vancouver, British Columbia) has appointed a Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Advisory Board ("FFNAB"), members of which are renowned internationally for their experience and expertise in the field of functional foods and nutraceuticals.
"One of the company's strategies is to remain at the forefront in the field of nutraceuticals," said said Tazdin Esmail, Forbes president and CEO. "In this endeavor, the FFNAB will assist the company not only in providing ongoing input and guidance to current R&D projects, but also recommend and develop new innovative products for the Company's pipeline for eventual licensing to potential strategic partners."
The scientists that constitute this FFNAB are:
• Peter Jones, Ph.D., director of dietetics and human nutrition at McGill University and a member of Forbes' Medical Advisory Board. Dr. Jones will chair this board;
• Harvey Anderson, Ph.D., professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences and Physiology, Associate Dean, Division IV, School of Graduate Studies, University of Toronto;
• Costas Biliaderis, Ph.D., professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece;
• Sonja Connor, MS, RD, LD, associate professor, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR;
• David Kitts, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Food Science, University of British Columbia
• G. (Joe) Mazza, Ph.D., FCIFST, senior research scientist and head, Food Research Program Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Centre, Summerland, BC;
• Bruce McDonald, Ph.D. FCIFST, executive director, Manitoba Health Research Council; Senior Scholar, Foods and Nutrition Department, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
"I'm very pleased to see Forbes' commitment to this emerging health trend in the marketplace," said Jones. "Our group is excited and certainly committed to this initiative. With this scientific team coming directly from the food and nutrition sciences, we intend to make rapid progress in this field. In fact we are already working on some interesting and innovative research projects."
As to the current project in this area, the Forbes continues to move forward with Novartis in the effort to introduce its cholesterol-reducing product, Phytrol, in functional foods. Clinical trials, product formulation work, marketing research, manufacturing and other projects to prepare for product launches are underway. The recently purchased manufacturing plant located in Amqui, Quebec, will be one of the sites expected to provide Phytrol for the continuing research efforts and initial commercial requirements. Negotiations towards finalizing a global Master License Agreement between Novartis and the Company are currently underway.
Forbes also is pleased to announce the promotion of Jerzy Zawistowski, Ph.D. to director, food technology development. Zawistowski, along with Jones, will be responsible for the co-ordination of the FFNAB