Bangkok--1 Aug--Field-Station IMMUNOTHAI’S CONFIDENCE IN THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF THAILAND’S DIETARY SUPPLEMENT MARKET LEADS TO THE LAUNCH OF HMS 90 (WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE) WITH A 1ST YEAR SALES TARGET OF 20 MILLION BAHT Noting the strong, continued growth of Thailand’s dietary supplements market, Immunothai Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce the launch of HMS 90, the whey protein isolate from Immunotec Research Ltd. (Canada) clinically proven to raise glutathione levels in man, with a sales target of 20 million baht for the first year, expected to double in the second year. The company has selected two target groups: the health conscious and those whose health is compromised by illness or age. In order to create product awareness, a targeted magazine advertising campaign is planned and numerous actions have been initiated to raise awareness of the role of glutathione for good health amongst medical professionals. Immunothai Co, Ltd. has the objective to establish its presence in the high-end of the dietary supplements market by launching HMS 90?, the world famous whey protein isolate from Canada-based Immunotec Research Ltd., to the Thai market in early August. Immunothai Co., Ltd. has an exclusive license to import and distribute HMS 90 — a highly purified protein isolated from whey sold under the name “IMMUNOCAL” in many markets. According to Mrs Kittiwan Nandabhiwat, General Manager of Immunothai, the company conducted some market research last year and obtained FDA registration and an import license for the product early this year. The company targets 20 million baht sales in the first year and expects this to double in the second year. In order to achieve these goals, Immunothai plans to target two groups of consumers: the health conscious and the health compromised. The health conscious - the first group consists of middle aged, middle to high income consumers who have become aware of the importance of a pro-active approach to health and fitness which includes good nutrition and dietary supplements. This is a group that demands high quality products and actively searches for information about them. An advertising campaign through selected magazines is planned for early August. This media was chosen as it can efficiently reach this target group while enabling detailed presentation about HMS 90 and glutathione. Further information will be available from the Immunothai call center (02 258 8400) and website (www.immunothai.co.th). As HMS 90 is supported by significant scientific research, communicating the underlying scientific rationale is one of the keys to the commercial success of HMS 90. The health compromised — this target group is characterized by people who suffer from a chronic illness, and/or are simply experiencing the effects of the advancing years. Evidence from more than 70 000 scientific publications have demonstrated the association of abnormally low levels of glutathione with many chronic diseases. The high concentration of glutathione found in most cells in the body and the wide range of biochemical roles testify to the importance of this natural antioxidant, often referred to as the “Master Antioxidant”. HMS 90 has been clinically proven to raise intracellular levels of glutathione in various health conditions and hence may be expected to have benefits for the health compromised consumer. In order to raise awareness of the potential benefits for this group of consumers, Immunothai will promote the scientific studies supporting the product to medical professionals. This will include presentations directly to physicians and medical institutions, participation in the exhibitions of major medical conferences, sponsorship of information meetings under the patronage of medical societies and patient support groups. The policy to support medical research on the product was initiated by Immunotec Research Ltd. Currently, 28 articles have been published in the scientific literature describing research with HMS 90. This has enabled the product to be listed in the US Physicians’ Desk Reference and approved for reimbursement by Medicare and Medicaid Health Insurance in the USA. Immunothai is committed to extending this policy in Thailand; the company plans to encourage and sponsor studies that evaluate the potential for dietary supplements that provide complementary benefits to medical treatment. A research project was initiated in April to evaluate the usage of HMS 90 in Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) patients. The research team is led by Dr.Prasong Tienboon MD, PhD, Department of Pediatrics and Dr.Taned Chitapanarux MD, Department of Medicine, both from the Faculty of Medicine, Chiangmai University. Dr. Prasong Tienbooon is also the president of Thai Clinical Nutrition Society (TCNS). This research target is to recruit about 50 patients into the study and should be completed by the end of this year. The company is cooperating with a number of medical professors and nutritionists to evaluate the potential benefits of HMS 90 for patients with diseases characterized, at least in part, by low glutathione such as renal failure, cancer and Parkinson’s. Immunothai believes this pro-active approach towards research and information will raise awareness of medical professionals of the complementary benefits dietary supplements can have for their patients. Immunothai will always recommend and encourage this group of consumers to discuss the use of all dietary supplements with their treating physicians. Such strategy, to create awareness in the medical profession of the potential benefits of HMS 90, has been very successful in the USA, Canada, Australia, Taiwan and Singapore. HMS 90 can be purchased via the Immunothai call centre at 02-253-8400 with free delivery. The product is also available at the Complementary Medicine Co., Ltd. (COMED), on the 6th floor of Piyavate Hospital and the Holistic Medical Center (HMC), on the 20th floor of Asoke 253 Building. Other possible outlets being considered include selected health shops in hospitals. “Although there are many uncertainties in the current economic situation that affect consumer’s confidence, the health and wellness market continues to develop strongly. Such growth is driven by the ever higher incidence of illnesses together with the impact of modern lifestyle with poor diet, increasing exposure to stress and pollution, and inadequate rest or exercise,” says Mrs Kittiwan Nandabhiwat. “Such risks are growing and, thus, it is expected that the health conscious consumer, particularly those with medium to high purchasing power, will maintain their expenditure on complementary health products. In HMS 90 we have an outstanding, quality product backed by solid medical research, so we expect the product to be well received by the consumer. “ For more information, call Immunothai Co., Ltd. at 0-2253-8400, 0-2253-7613 or visit www.immunothai.co.th Junjira Phongpaisithi Tel 02-736-0736-7 # 17 or 081-628-7707 E-mail: junjira@field-station.com Click for photo release at www.thaipr.net