Press Releases

PRIMEX OF NORWAY SELECTS TRANSMEDIA GROUP TO PROMOTE ITS ULTRA PURE CHITOSAN BACKED BY CLINICAL DATA AND TESTING

CONTACT: Silvana Rodriguez 561/750-9800 x21
E-mail: srodriguez@transmediagroup.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BOCA RATON, FL, February 1, 2001 - The TransMedia Group has been retained by Primex of Norway to build awareness among U.S. manufacturers that it can supply chitosan in such a pure form that it meets GRAS requirements for use in food.

Steven Dillingham, an official of the Norwegian Trade Council in New York City, which introduced Primex to TransMedia, stated, "Primex was impressed with TransMedia's ability to create awareness for nutritional products for such clients as Rexall Sundown and Boeinger-Ingelheim."

According to TransMedia's Chairman Thomas J. Madden, "Primex couldn't have come aboard with us as a client at a better time since its raw material also is an ideal source of glucosamine, the popular nutritional supplement for relief of joint pain. Primex is by far the largest producer of chitin from the North Atlantic. The Norwegian supplier's chitosan GRAS process has proven to be superior in purity to all products in which chitosan is a source."

As for ChitoClearä, Madden said Primex is interested in developing a strong branded ingredient strategy and marketing program where customer manufacturers will benefit from listing on their label that their product contains pure "ChitoClearä" chitosan. Primex has convened a panel of scientific experts required under the FDA self-affirmed GRAS procedure, and the panel has deemed Primex's product safe for use in foods due to its unique quality level. "No other chitosan manufacturer has attempted this," said Madden. Primex has succeeded in tying this GRAS status to a specific species of raw material, a proprietary production process and product specifications that are all but impossible for competitors to meet.

"Although a GRAS status only shows that ChitoClearä is safe to eat, and the only chitosan product with this status for a good reason, Primex will both by themselves and together with customers focus to show the effectiveness with ChitoClear as superior in invivo studies. TransMedia will be most important in order to have the health industry and functional foods companies of the U.S. acknowledge the new possibilities with our strategy, unique status, and most functional ingredient," said Mr. Dillingham.

TransMedia's President Mark Hopkinson noted that Primex's pure chitosan product also has exciting potential in the U.S. market as a functional ingredient in cosmetics, drug delivery and pharmaceuticals as a natural excipient.