SOURCE: ArtJen Complexus USA, LLC

October 27, 2009 11:07 ET

Clinical Study Confirms mirafit fbcx Reduces Caloric Absorption 25-30 Percent by Neutralizing Fat Calories in Food and Significantly Lowers Blood Cholesterol Levels

Findings to Be Presented at Obesity 2009

DETROIT, MI--(Marketwire - October 27, 2009) - A scientific study to be presented today at the annual meeting of The Obesity Society will confirm significant weight loss using the pill mirafit fbcx®. Dr. K-L Catherine Jen and Dr. Joseph Artiss, principals at ArtJen Complexus USA, LLC, will present these clinical study findings today, October 27, at The Obesity Society 2009 annual scientific meeting at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C., The Obesity Society's 27th annual scientific meeting.

According to Drs. Jen and Artiss, "Mirafit fbcx® is a soluble fiber derived from corn that reduces human body absorption of consumed fat. Taken as directed, six tablets a day will reduce caloric absorption from 2,000 kilocalories/day to 1,500. This is equivalent to approximately 50-60 percent of fat or 25-30 percent of calories from the typical American diet. Five hundred kilocalories per day becomes 3,500 kilocalories per week, which equates to a weight loss of about 1-1 1/2 pounds per week."

How it Works

Mirafit fbcx is a naturally occurring, soluble fiber that forms a very stable complex or emulsion with fat. Scientific research shows this stable complex appears to prevent the digestive enzyme lipase from breaking down dietary fat in the small intestine, thus preventing it from being absorbed into the blood stream. This, in turn, reduces the number of calories that are absorbed and lowers blood lipid (fat) levels. In contrast to some pharmaceutical therapies, the natural fiber of fbcx® shows no undesirable side effects because the undigested fat remains bound as it passes through the intestines.

"Mirafit fbcx binds and eliminates nine times its own weight in dietary fat -- triglycerides. One gram (one tablet) of fbcx binds 9 grams (81 calories) of fat, thus preventing absorption of a significant portion of fat consumed," said Dr. Jen.

Current Clinical Study

The recently completed clinical study, conducted at the University of California, Davis, involves overweight, but not obese non-diabetic individuals. This investigation was intended to confirm the effects of mirafit fbcx on weight management and blood lipid levels as they have been implicated in the development and pathogenesis of numerous disease states, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Twenty-nine healthy adults (age: 43.9+/-13.3 yrs, 8 males) with a stable body weight in the previous month participated in this study. The mean BMI was 27.1 +/-2.1kg/m2 at the beginning of this double-blind, one-month crossover study.

Data showed that significantly more weight was lost during the active phase as compared to the placebo phase of the study. Blood cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and the atherogenic Apolipoprotein B levels were significantly reduced in the active phase while HDL (good) cholesterol levels remained unchanged. Participants with high triglyceride levels reduced their blood cholesterol levels more than twice as much relative to participants with normal triglyceride levels. In addition, the higher the cholesterol levels, the greater the cholesterol reduction in the active phase. Blood insulin levels were significantly reduced in the active phase as compared to those in the placebo phase, which suggests a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Unlike any other studied weight loss product, the participants were not put on a low fat or low calorie diet.

"These results indicate that mirafit fbcx not only exerts its beneficial health effects in obese individuals with type 2 diabetes, but also is effective in improving the blood lipid profile of apparently healthy non-obese individuals," said Dr. Artiss. "These findings build on previous animal and clinical studies."

Scientists have published substantial data from previous double-blind clinical trials with obese diabetic volunteers as well as numerous animal studies. The most recent research and prior, published scientific data suggest that:

--  mirafit fbcx is effective at reducing and/or maintaining body weight.
--  mirafit fbcx lowers both triglyceride and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels
    in those patients with elevated triglyceride levels.
--  mirafit fbcx, by increasing adiponectin levels in the blood, may delay
    the need for insulin in type 2 diabetics.
--  mirafit fbcx has been shown to bind and remove nine times its own
    weight in dietary fat.
--  mirafit fbcx appears to preferentially bind unhealthy saturated and
    trans fats over unsaturated dietary fats.
    

The active ingredient in mirafit fbcx, alpha-cyclodextrin, has been designated by the FDA as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). The World Health Organization has given it an allowable daily intake of "not specified," suggesting that there is no unsafe level.

About ArtJen Complexus USA, LLC

Mirafit fbcx was developed by Dr. Joseph Artiss, associate professor of Pathology in Wayne State University's (WSU) School of Medicine (Detroit) and Dr. K-L Catherine Jen, chair of Nutrition and Food Science in WSU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Artiss and Jen formed ArtJen to commercialize the mirafit fbcx technology. They acquired the rights to the technology from WSU to bring the product to the worldwide market. To learn more about mirafit fbcx and its benefits, visit www.mirafit.com.

About The Obesity Society

The Obesity Society (www.obesity.org) is the leading professional society dedicated to the study, prevention and treatment of obesity. Since 1982, it has been committed to encouraging research on the causes, treatment, and prevention of obesity as well as to keeping the scientific community and public informed of new advances in the field.