Avivagen Announces Engagement of Regulatory Consulting Firm

OTTAWA, Ontario, May 12, 2017 -- Avivagen Inc. (TSXV:VIV) (OTC Pink:CHEXF) (Avivagen or the Corporation), a Corporation with a proven and commercially-ready, patent-protected product intended to replace the antibiotics added to livestock feeds as growth promoters, announces the hiring of a regulatory consulting firm to work with the Corporation to analyze and seek regulatory approvals of Avivagen’s OxC-beta™ for Livestock in the United States. Avivagen has already secured approvals in several Asian markets and will be seeking to confirm the regulatory pathway for approvals in the U.S., Europe, South America and other important markets. Avivagen believes that obtaining  regulatory approval in additional jurisdictions could  increase the market access of OxC-beta™ for Livestock, as well as assist in securing potential licensing and distribution partners in those markets.

Avivagen has engaged BioPharmaPotentials, a consulting firm that works with select inventors, entrepreneurs, investigators and investors to maximize the full potential for new and current chemical and biologic entities within the field of animal health. BioPharmaPotentials’ founder and CEO, Dr. Edward Robb, DVM, MS, DACVN, has held leadership research and development positions at Boehringer-Ingelheim Vetmedica, Pfizer Animal Health, Pharmacia and Upjohn Animal Health, Parnell, CEVA, Embrex and American Cyanamid.

About Avivagen
Avivagen Inc. is a public Corporation traded on the TSXV under the symbol VIV and is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, based in partnership facilities of the National Research Council of Canada and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. For more information, visit www.avivagen.com.

About OxC-beta™ Technology and OxC-beta™ Livestock
Avivagen’s OxC-beta™ technology is derived from Avivagen discoveries about carotenoids, compounds that give certain fruits and vegetables their bright colors and is a non-antibiotic means of maintaining optimal health and growth. OxC-beta™ Livestock is a proprietary product shown to be effective and economic in replacing the antibiotics commonly added to livestock feeds.  OxC-beta™ Livestock is currently registered and available for sale in the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand.

Avivagen’s OxC-beta™ Livestock product is safe, effective and could fulfill the global mandate to remove all in-feed antibiotics as growth promoters. Numerous international livestock trials with poultry and swine using OxC-beta™ Livestock have proven that the product performs as well as, and, sometimes, in some aspects, better than in-feed antibiotics.

Forward Looking Statements
This news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon the current expectations of management. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties associated with the business of Avivagen Inc. and the environment in which the business operates. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions “aim”, “anticipate”, “appear”, “believe”, “consider”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “if”, “intend”, “goal”, ”helps”, “hope”, “likely”, “may”, “plan”, “possibly”, “potentially”, “pursue”, “seem”, “should”, “whether”, “will”, “would” and similar expressions or opinions of management. Statements relating to Avivagen’s planned activities with its regulatory consulting firm, its plans to seek regulatory approval in additional jurisdictions and the potential effects of the receipt of any such approvals, are all forward-looking statements.

Avivagen faces risks and uncertainties in connection with its business, including, but not limited to, risks relating to the following: Avivagen’s ability to continue as a going concern; whether the Corporation can expand its global regulatory advisor network in order to gain market approval of OxC-beta™; whether the Corporation can obtain market approval in additional geographies, if at all; whether it will be able to replace the antibiotics added to livestock feeds as growth promoters, whether it will confirm and expedite potential regulatory approvals of Avivagen’s OxC-beta™ for Livestock in major markets around the world, whether it will seek and be able to confirm the regulatory pathway for approvals in the U.S., Europe, South America and all other important markets, whether it will confirm, define and potentially expedite regulatory pathways for approval, whether any such approvals will be applied for or received in a timely manner or at all,  whether it will increase the market access of OxC-beta™ for Livestock, whether it will secure potential licensing and distribution partners in those markets and whether it can assure the full potential for the Corporation.   Avivagen may decide not to seek regulatory approval for its products in additional jurisdictions, regulatory approvals for Avivagen’s products may not be available in one or more additional jurisdictions in a timely or cost effective manner, if at all, and, if received, such approvals may not have the anticipated positive effects on the Corporation’s business and prospects.

Readers should also refer to the risk factors in Avivagen’s annual information form and other securities law filings from time to time. Accordingly, readers should not place undue or even any reliance on forward-looking statements.  Except as required by law, Avivagen assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For more information:                       
Avivagen Inc.
Drew Basek
Director of Investor Relations
100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6
Phone: 416-540-0733
E-mail: [email protected]

Kym Anthony 
Interim Chief Executive Officer
100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6
Head Office Phone: 613-949-8164
Website: www.avivagen.com