Clover Corporation announced the release of new results from the clinical research study called the N3RO trial. Clover has been informed by the responsible researchers at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), of results from the randomised, double-blinded controlled clinical trial, where the potential benefits of its high DHA emulsion for supporting normal cognitive development of premature infants was assessed. Premature babies generally have a lower IQ than full term babies. Early indications, as reported by SAHMRI, are that the clinical research study has achieved a statistically significant 3.5 point IQ score improvement in the high DHA emulsion treatment group of the 656 Australian premature babies assessed at 5 years of age, when compared with the group that received the placebo emulsion. The final results will be available when the full report is compiled, where further analysis of these results will determine next steps for the program. Infants born before 29 weeks of gestational age were enrolled in the N3RO trial. Clover's proprietary emulsion high in the omega3 fatty acid DHA was administered to half of these babies as a supplement to their nutrition, along with standard treatments currently considered optimal for their successful development. The rest of the group received a placebo emulsion in replacement for the DHA emulsion. A variety of parameters indicating the health and development of the treated infants were measured. The N3RO trial follows on from positive outcomes in a previous Phase III trial named DINO, (DHA for the Improvement of Neurodevelopmental Outcome) in which Preterm infants whose diet was supplemented with higher DHA showed improved cognitive development in
girls at 18 months, reduced oxygen requirement at 36 weeks in boys and reduced incidence of hay fever later in their development. The N3RO clinical research study commenced in 2012 after receiving funding support from the National Health and Medical Research Council and product support from Clover Corporation. Over the course of the project, Clover Corporation has invested $1.235 Million in product development, professional services and people.