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If you've never experienced any type of pain, consider yourself a modern day miracle. We're talking headache, muscle ache, perhaps the bumps and bruises of an everyday active lifestyle, or even arthritis. Of course, we've all known some of these simple, short-term pains caused by tissue inflammation. Take a couple of anti-inflammatory pills and the pain eventually goes away.

There are some people, however, especially diabetics and the elderly, who endure another type of pain. This chronic, intolerable, seemingly never-ending discomfort is known as neuropathy – nerve pain. Until recently, sufferers could find no real relief and pain took over their lives and made everyday tasks impossible.

One Fort Meyers, Florida woman, a Type 1 diabetic for over 60 years, recently described her own experience with neuropathic pain. In her own words, she had "endured terrible, unrelenting, burning" sensations for a very long time.

"I tried everything I thought that was available for diabetic neuropathy – including very expensive medications," she explained. "The burning was in my thigh and it was so bad I could not stand to have my clothing touch my skin. I have no doubt that other diabetics know what I was feeling."

Earlier this year, this woman learned about Neuragen, an over-thecounter (OTC) topical that promises "fast relief from nerve-related pain." She figured she had tried everything else; what did she have to lose but the $29.95 price tag? So she bought some at a local drug store, spread it on her thigh and, in 10 minutes, the painful burning sensation was completely gone!

According to the letter she wrote to Origin BioMed, marketer of this OTC preparation, she now uses Neuragen faithfully once a day.

"I have finally found the one thing without side effects that is also affordable," she wrote.

Always a Symptom, Never a Condition – Until Now
Neuragen works clinically for seven to nine hours on average, the company claims, and since pain is never consistently the same throughout the day, the product's fast-acting claim allows patients to manage pain day or night. The product is available in the oil, Neuragen PN, and a gel, NeuraGel.

Neuragen PN is a proprietary blend of essential oils that is used topically to provide rapid and often dramatic relief from concentrated discomfort caused by a variety of chronic conditions. Although the mechanism of relief is unknown, the ingredients in Neuragen have proven effective in clinical trials. Neuragen PN consists of a nontoxic, skin penetration enhancing formulation of geranium oil and associated essential botanical oils, extensively tested in clinical trials. There are no known side effects to using this transdermal product. For more information on clinical trials, visit www.originbiomed.com.

Robert Cervelli, president and chief executive officer of Origin BioMed, said letters like the one from the Fort Myers patient are "coming to us almost every day."

"We are talking about people with chronic, intractable pain," he said. "This is what most people don't appreciate. In Western medicine, this kind of pain has always been regarded as a symptom, not a condition in itself. People with neuropathy have damaged nerves; the nerve is turned `on' all the time. Even though nothing else is wrong, you still experience excruciating pain."

While neuropathic pain, is common (there are 6.6 million diabetics with neuropathy alone who are actively seeking treatment), there are very few options on the market at this time. Other sufferers include people with conditions such as side effects from chemotherapy, sciatica, spinal stenosis and fibromyalgia.

Ready to Dominate Drug Stores Shelves
"Neuragen will create market share by filling unmet need and establishing a dominant new health product brand for this niche," predicts Cervelli, adding that he believes Neuragen will capture at least 15 percent of the addressable market within three years, representing greater than $50 million in revenue per year by year three.

Origin BioMed Inc., headquartered in Halifax, Canada, is the innovative marketer of this exclusive family of over-the-counter drugs for neuropathic pain management. The company's patented product brand, Neuragen, is widely available across Canada and in June hit the shelves of the U.S. nationally through drug store chains CVS and Rite Aid. It is also available in regional stores such as Drug Fair, Duane Reade and Safeway and total North American drug store count is projected to be 24,000 by December 2008. All major U.S. drug wholesalers have been signed, including McKesson, Cardinal Health and Amerisource Bergin.

Origin BioMed's current revenue run-rate is approaching $4 million (last three-month annualized), and is climbing quickly, said CEO Cervelli. Overseas markets are also being explored as part of the company's international branding strategy. Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EB ITDA) is expected to be 30 to 35 percent of revenues. Origin BioMed will also initiate outlicensing relationships with large drug industry players.

The company is led by seasoned biotech and pharma industry executives with recognized industry-insider advisors, including a senior vice president from Warner Lambert and the retired CEO of Del Laboratories, maker of tooth and gum de-sensitizer Orajel and other OTC applications.

Cervelli commented that Origin BioMed is looking forward to a strong print advertising campaign for Neuragen in the U.S. and noted that there is already solid marketing, supply chain and product development infrastructure in place. In addition to the company's Canadian location, Origin BioMed has a physical presence in the U.S.; it opened an office in New York City, as well. The company joined the New Jersey Technology Council and participated in two of the trade organization's venture financing conferences; in fact, Origin BioMed won the Peoples' Choice Award at the 2007 NJTC Venture Conference.

Cervelli & Origin BioMed: Addressing "Real" Consumer Needs
Cervelli is no stranger to biotech himself. He has been involved with six start-up companies in Canada and the U.S. (he is a dual citizen) and jumped at the opportunity to be involved with Neuragen as soon as he learned about the research. "This was a rare opportunity to end-license university validated research that had immediate OTC potential," he said of the company he launched in 2001.

After sharing clinical research from medical clinics in the U.S. including Pennington Bio Medical in Baton Rouge, La., and Canadian research from Dalhousie University, with potential investors, Cervelli's suspicions about the incredible viability and potential of the research was validated.

Origin BioMed received angel financing in the beginning. With low overhead, the business grew slowly. A pharmacist from Chicago, one of North America's "elite cadre of compounders," said Cervelli, made an investment in the private company.

"I believe that when it comes to investment opportunities, every investor has an appetite and a mandate for life science investments but their taste buds are all different," Cervelli said. "One thing is for sure, VCs are looking at OTC and consumer health care. Old drug discovery biotech plays are increasingly long burn and high risk and a lot of VCs have begun to shy away from those for that reason."

In fact, in early 2007, Origin BioMed did a hybrid/VC round of financing and secured $3.8 million in funding, led by Calgary-based Avrio Ventures, along with co-investors Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI) Venture Capital and several private individuals.

"Origin is addressing real consumer needs and demands through plant-based medicines and botanical drugs," said Aki Georgacacos, general partner at Avrio Ventures. "With its strong team, proprietary product line, and brand presence, the company is in a great position to capitalize on the tremendous growth and opportunity in the market for neuropathic pain relief."

In addition to its Neuragen line of products, Origin BioMed also markets Herpestat Lip Shield for cold sores, Swat Cream bug repellant, and a line of green tea therapeutics.

Going forward, Cervelli said, Origin BioMed will continue to build brands in undeveloped niches but will likely remain in the area of pain management. In fact, the company places intellectual property at the forefront of its product development and commercialization strategy; it holds 18 patents or pending patents, and 14 trademarks in the U.S. and Canada. Several other patent filings are in preparation as a result of the company's R&D activity, to be used for additional protection of existing products or for out-license to the pharmaceutical industry.

To learn more, visit www.originbiomed.com.