HEALTH drinks firm Provexis has signed a deal with Dutch company DSM Nutritional Products to develop a new product aimed at tackling blood glucose levels.

The collaboration will commercialise DSM-owned intellectual property while Provexis, which operates a research facility in Liverpool, will create the product, carry out clinical trials and obtain regulatory approval for its launch. High blood glucose levels are believed to contribute to obesity and diabetes.

Stephen Moon, chief executive of Provexis, said: “In recent months we have assessed the technology and believe that it will further strengthen our pipeline of cardiovascular-related technologies.

“The collaborative approach facilitated by the agreement will allow for the most effective commercialisation of the technology.

“In addition to this important new pipeline technology, the management team continues to assess further potential acquisitions.”

Provexis also announced that it has appointed Luke Heeney as new product director, with his first task to commercialise the blood glucose technology.

The company, which is listed on the Alternative Investment Market, today said it plans to find up to four additional trial centres for its ongoing trial of a product aimed at sufferers of Crohn’s disease.

It had previously warned that it was struggling to recruit patients for trials at its Liverpool research and development facility.

An independent review of the data from the first full year of treatments found no negative findings and no safety concerns, and recommended a further review to be undertaken in the final quarter of this year.