OKAVA Announces Publication of a Proof-of-Concept Validation Study for OKV-119, Its Pioneering Long-Term Drug Delivery System

Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Research, the Feasibility of Long-Term Drug Delivery of the GLP-1 Exenatide is Demonstrated in this Study Conducted in Cats

San Francisco, California – May 11, 2021 – OKAVA Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage research and development company focused on diseases of aging in dogs and cats, today announced the publication of a proof-of-concept study in Frontiers in Veterinary Research, a leading peer-reviewed open access scientific journal. The publication demonstrates that long-term drug delivery can be achieved with the NanoPortal™ drug delivery system in cats.

“Obesity and diabetes are arguably the biggest challenges in feline medicine today,” said Michael Klotsman, PhD, MBA, the CEO of OKAVA. “Existing human therapeutics are of limited use in cats because oral dosing in cats is a major barrier to treatment. OKV-119 is a ‘one-and-done’ solution that holds the potential of revolutionizing treatments in cats and extending their lifespans.”

This study demonstrates that long-term drug delivery in cats can be achieved with a single OKV-119 implant. This study also provides evidence that OKV-119 is safe and can be conveniently inserted under the skin during routine veterinary visits.

About OKV-119

OKV-119 is a miniature, subdermal, exenatide drug implant designed to treat the growing number of clinically obese cats and feline diabetes. This device can be conveniently inserted under the skin during routine veterinary visits and is designed to provide steady doses of medication for up to six months.

OKV-119 is being developed under a partnership with Vivani Medical, Inc.

About OKAVA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

OKAVA is a clinical-stage research and development company that develops new treatment options for dogs and cats suffering from chronic diseases of aging. OKAVA is building a portfolio of products to transform and humanize standards of care in veterinary medicine. By harnessing human technologies for the treatment of common diseases in household pets, the company has the potential of increasing the lifespans of dogs and cats by an average of 1 to 3 years. OKAVA is a private company headquartered in San Francisco, California. For more information, see OKAVApharma.com.

About Vivani Medical, Inc.

Leveraging its proprietary NanoPortal™ platform, Vivani Medical develops biopharmaceutical implants designed to deliver drug molecules steadily over extended periods of time with the goal of guaranteeing adherence, and potentially to improve tolerance to their medication. NPM’s lead program NPM-119 is a miniaturized, 6-month GLP-1 implant under investigation for the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes and is also under consideration for the treatment of obesity. NPM-119 is designed to provide patients with the opportunity to realize the full potential benefit of their medication by avoiding the challenges associated with the daily or weekly administration of orals and injectables. Medication non-adherence occurs when patients do not take their medication as prescribed. This affects an alarming number of patients, approximately 50%, including those taking daily pills. Medication non-adherence, which contributes to more than $500 billion in annual avoidable healthcare costs and 125,000 potentially preventable deaths annually in the U.S. alone, is a primary and daunting reason why type 2 diabetes treatments face significant challenges in achieving positive real-world effectiveness.

For More Information:
Michael Klotsman, PhD, MBA Chief Executive Officer at OKAVA
Phone: 415.818.1808
E-mail: info@okavapharma.com

Vivani Contact:
Donald Dwyer
Chief Business Officer
info@vivani.com
(415) 506-8462

Vivani Investor Relations Contact:
Brigid A. Makes
Chief Financial Officer
investors@vivani.com
(415) 506-8462