The Egg Farmers of Ontario marketing board is putting $1
million into a company that is running trials on a new drug, extracted from
fertilized eggs, to treat depression.
United Paragon Associates
(UPA) will use the money to fund trials to follow up on early results it says
have been encouraging.
The drug, called Rellidep,
is said to work faster and have fewer side effects than anti-depressants
currently on the market.
"The active
ingredients of Rellidep are derived from eggs and that also means the research
can stimulate, increase and improve the production and marketing of eggs in
Ontario," egg board chairman Scott Graham said by way of a news release.
He said in an interview
earlier this year that the egg board hopes to gain production for a world-wide
market for the new drug.
It is, however, derived
from fertilized eggs and another marketing board, for hatching eggs,
specializes in that market. The eggs marketed by Egg Farmers of Ontario are
deliberately not fertilized.
The company said Tuesday
it's "in the process of raising additional financing to continue the
research and development of Rellidep."
