Mountain Valley MD to Include Testing of South African Mutation in Upcoming COVID-19 BSL-4 Clearance Work

TORONTO, Feb. 22, 2021 /CNW/ - Mountain Valley MD Holdings Inc. (the "Company" or "MVMD") (CSE: MVMD) (FRA: 20MP) (OTCQB: MVMDF) is pleased to announce that it will be testing the new B.1.351 South African COVID-19 variant in its upcoming Bio Safety Level 4 ("BSL-4") lab study, which is analyzing viral clearance efficacy with the Company's new solubilized Ivermectin technology.

According to the World Health Organization*, the mutated B.1.351 COVID-19 variant is now the most dominant form of the COVID-19 virus in South Africa and is believed to be more infectious and thus easier to spread. As the COVID-19 virus continually mutates, researchers are assessing the impact of the current vaccines that are in distribution to understand if they may be rendered less effective or even noneffective**.

"We felt it was critical to look at this new South African COVID-19 variant given the immediate complexities we are seeing with the pace of vaccine rollout and the high probability that current vaccines will not be as effective, if at all, against these emerging mutations," stated Dennis Hancock, President and CEO of Mountain Valley MD. "It is important to us across our broad human health objectives that our solubilized Ivermectin technology can be confidently applied as the broadest COVID-19 therapeutic and number one choice in the world when a vaccine falls short."

The Company has previously communicated that it believes its solubilized Ivermectin would be suitable for a broad therapeutic across a wide range of viruses in the future, not just limited to COVID-19.

"It is not clear if the current vaccines will protect you from the new variants and early information is that vaccines are not as effective on the mutations. We are attempting in our work with the BSL-4 lab to target novel COVID-19 variants that would prove Ivermectin's broad activity in interfering with the replication of the virus and thus broadly applies across multiple variants versus being specific to a variant the way a vaccine would be," stated Mike Farber, Director of Life Sciences at MVMD.

As communicated in the Company's news release on January 27, 2021, the BSL-4 trial will be the first of its kind ever conducted with human grade solubilized Ivermectin anywhere in the world and its design was led by the Company's key scientific advisor, Dr. John Clements. Dr. Clements is Emeritus Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Tulane University School of Medicine and has over 35 years of experience in vaccine, immunology and infectious diseases research and development, with a distinguished scientific career focused on developing and evaluating vaccines for a wide range of infectious diseases globally.

As previously communicated, MVMD's solubility technology applied to the Ivermectin drug is the only form in the world that uses strictly excipients that are currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), making it a leading candidate for human injection and sublingual applications as well as significantly broader husbandry and companion animal treatments based on its low viscosity.

The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its product has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain the COVID-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time.

REFERENCES/SOURCES
* The new South African strain is more infectious, and it's also making COVID-19 vaccines less effective
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/drugmakers-examine-effectiveness-of-covid-19-vaccines-and-treatments-against-new-more-infectious-south-african-strain-11611869110

** Data suggests AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine may not protect against South African variant
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2021/02/08/south-african-variant-your-questions-answered-new-covid-strain/4433074001/

ABOUT MOUNTAIN VALLEY MD HOLDINGS INC.
Mountain Valley MD is building a world-class biotech and life sciences company organization centred around the implementation of its patented Quicksome™ oral drug formulation and delivery technologies and its Quicksol™ solubilization technology for macrocyclic lactones, to innovate industry leading products that are sought out globally.

MVMD's proposition for delivering Quicksome™ formulations that have rapid onset, high bioavailability, low variability and precision dosing is core to the Company's success across key health and wellness categories. Consistent with its vision towards "Helping People Live Their Best Life", MVMD applies its Quicksome™ and Quicksol™ technologies to its ground-breaking work for advanced delivery of vaccines and pharmaceutical drugs as well as the development of products for pain management, weight loss, energy, focus, sleep, anxiety, and more.

The Company's patented Quicksome™ desiccation technology utilizes advanced liposomes and other stabilizing molecules to encapsulate and formulate active ingredients into highly efficient product formats that are consumed orally.  The result is a new generation of product formulations that are capable of delivering vaccines, drugs and nutraceuticals into the body faster, with greater impact, efficiency and accuracy. 

The Company's patented Quicksol™ solubilization technology covers all highly solubilized macrocyclic lactones (including the drugs Ivermectin and Selamectin).  MVMD's solubility technology applied to the Ivermectin drug is the only form in the world that only uses excipients that are currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), making it a leading candidate for human injection and sublingual applications as well as significantly broader husbandry and companion animal treatments based on its low viscosity. 

For more Company information and contact details, visit www.mountainvalleymd.com.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "intend", "should", and similar expressions. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information.

The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of regulatory decisions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Company operates, prevailing economic conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company.

The Company is making forward-looking statements, including but not limited to with respect to: the commencement, execution and completion of the BSL-4 lab study, including the timing thereof and the testing of the B.1.351 South African COVID-19 variant; the results and implications of the BSL-4 lab study; the global supply of Ivermectin and the need for and effect of viral clearance; the application of Ivermectin as a broad therapeutic, including for the treatment of COVID-19.

The Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. Any forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the Company's expectations as of the date hereof and is subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities legislation.

SOURCE Mountain Valley MD Holdings Inc.

Dennis Hancock, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mountain Valley MD Holdings Inc., Email: [email protected], www.mountainvalleymd.com