Zivo Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZIVO) (the “Company”), a biotech/agtech R&D company engaged in the development of therapeutic, medicinal and nutritional product candidates derived from proprietary algal cultures, announces the initiation of a 42-day study to further validate the efficacy of its novel immune-modulating treatment for coccidiosis in broiler chickens.

ZIVO is developing a product candidate for use in poultry feed that is designed to boost immune response, allowing birds to effectively combat coccidiosis and reduce the negative effects of the disease without the use of antimicrobial compounds. The 42-day study is intended to confirm the previously-reported positive effects of ZIVO’s non-antibiotic alternative for maintaining broiler health against a significant coccidiosis challenge, including reduced mortality and reduction in the incidence and severity of intestinal lesions that adversely affected bird growth rates and feed efficiency.

This new study will be performed under the same conditions as the previous 28-day coccidiosis challenge study, but will be carried out for the full 42-day grow out period typical in the broiler production industry. This study will also include analyses designed to verify previously observed secondary benefits of ZIVO’s product that include protection or restoration of intestinal tissue morphology following exposure to the coccidiosis-causing Eimeria parasite, and reduction of pathogenic bacteria in a broiler chicken’s gut that are responsible for food-borne illness in humans.

“Our coccidiosis product candidate holds potential to transform poultry health management. We are optimistic about this newest study given prior test results that substantiated the candidate's efficacy not only in mitigating or eradicating the detrimental impacts of coccidiosis on digestive health in broiler chickens, but also in aligning the cost per bird with that of traditional antibiotics and chemicals,” said John Payne, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ZIVO Bioscience. “Furthermore, it has demonstrated a remarkable reduction in the prevalence of major foodborne pathogens such as Campylobacter, Salmonella, E. coli, and Clostridium perfringens in the broilers' digestive tract, without relying on antibiotics or other antimicrobial agents.”

Mr. Payne added, “The factors we’re examining in this study may have significant implications for human food safety during meat processing. With safeguards in place based on our learnings in prior exploratory studies, we expect data from this 42-day study will be pivotal and critical in potentially helping secure a partnership with a leading global animal health provider. We expect to report results from the study by the end of 2023.”

Coccidiosis is a protozoal disease that causes diarrhea, weight loss, decreased performance and increased mortality in poultry. This disease represents a significant economic challenge for the global poultry industry, as indicated by a 2020 study that estimated annual costs ranging from $10 billion to $17 billionⁱ. Products for treating coccidiosis are mostly antibiotic- or ionophore-based, and no significant new commercial technology has been introduced in the past 60 years. The global poultry industry spends more than $1.5 billion annually on coccidiosis control, primarily using decades-old compounds that industry and consumers alike wish to replace due to the risks of developing drug resistance. Coccidiosis is a common disease for chickens, especially among young chicks, and can be fatal or result in compromised digestion.

About ZIVO Bioscience

ZIVO Bioscience is a research and development company with an intellectual property portfolio comprised of proprietary algal and bacterial strains, biologically active molecules and complexes, production techniques, cultivation techniques and patented or patent pending inventions for applications in human and animal health. Please visit www.zivobioscience.com for more information.

Forward Looking Statements

Except for any historical information, the matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including with respect to the Company’s product candidate’s potential to generate revenues and the expected time frame for results of future studies. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although ZIVO believes that we have a reasonable basis for each forward-looking statement, we caution you that these statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently known by us and our expectations of the future, about which we cannot be certain. Our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect due to factors largely outside our control, including risks that our strategic partnerships may not facilitate the commercialization or market acceptance of our products; risks that we will be unable to increase production sufficient to meet our expected demand; risks that our products may not be ready for commercialization in a timely manner or at all; risks that our products will not perform as expected based on results of our pre-clinical and clinical trials; our ability to raise additional funds; uncertainties inherent in the development process of our products; changes in regulatory requirements or decisions of regulatory authorities; the size and growth potential of the markets for our products; the results of clinical trials, our ability to protect our intellectual property rights and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward–looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and ZIVO undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward–looking statements for any reason, even if new information becomes available in the future.

ⁱ Blake, D.P., Knox, J., Dehaeck, B. et al. Re-calculating the cost of coccidiosis in chickens. Vet Res 51, 115 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13567-020-00837-2

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231030973699/en/