Amersham, Bucks, April 9, 2003

Amersham, Bucks, April 2003 – Nutri Pharma’s patented soy composition Abacor® is reported today, at the New Functional Ingredients and Foods (NFIF) conference in Copenhagen, to have a significant additional cholesterol lowering effect in patients treated with lipid lowering drugs – statins. Based on the knowledge that for every 6% LDL cholesterol reduction statin dosage would need to be doubled, the 12% additional lowering of LDL cholesterol in males which was achieved using Abacor®, potentially represents a quadrupling of statin dosage.

This is particularly important since statins are now established as the drug treatment of choice in patients with hypercholesterolemia for both the primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. However, many statin treated patients are not able to lower their cholesterol to an acceptable level and / or experience adverse effects. In this study, conducted at Gentofte University Hospital in Copenhagen / Denmark, Abacor® not only had a significant additional cholesterol lowering effect but was also well tolerated and safe in statin treated patients. Abacor® is therefore a potentially attractive alternative to increments in statin dose.

Abacor® – the most effective natural ingredient at lowering cholesterol

Additionally, two further studies presented at the NFIF conference, demonstrate the significance of Nutri Pharma’s breakthrough soy technology in the area of cholesterol reduction.

A comparative, triple-armed study conducted in Potsdam / Germany in cooperation with the German Institute of Human Nutrition has shown that Abacor® is more than twice as effective at lowering cholesterol compared to the best commercially available soy protein. These results demonstrate that Abacor® is the most effective natural ingredient at lowering cholesterol.The study investigated the effects of the new patent pending composition of soy protein and phospholipids - Abacor®, and the best commercially available soy protein on serum total, LDL and HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B. The trial proved Abacor® is more than twice as effective at lowering serum cholesterol levels – a result which could help to diminish the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The third study – a pre-clinical trial conducted in the Netherlands – reveals that Abacor® significantly reduces the atherogenic fractions of lipids while maintaining HDL cholesterol levels.

Nutri Pharma's unique scientific and intellectual property places the company in a leadership position within the growing field of specialty soy ingredients and functional food. Since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States approved a health claim relating soy to cholesterol reduction in1999, the US soy market has seen double-digit growth and, with the Joint Health Claims Initiative (JHCI) approved claim in the UK in 2002, significant growth is expected in this market. With Nutri Pharma’s superior, well-documented and patented products and technologies, the company is ideally positioned to provide product technologies to companies looking to take a lead in this growing soy market.

DOWNLOADS: The abstracts can be downloaded in PDF format from the research section.

 
For further information on Nutri Pharma and its patented soy technology please contact:
  
Nicky Parnell Tel 020 7072 4100 nparnell@gciuk.com
Camilla Butterworth Tel 020 7072 4100 cbutterworth@gciuk.com
  

 
  
 
NOTES TO EDITORS

 

Nutri Pharma Information

• Nutri Pharma is based on 20 years of research and development documenting efficacy and safety of soy proteins, compositions and technologies – 10 years to test soy components and a further 10 years, since the company was founded in 1993, to secure its IP platform within soy proteins and specialized soy ingredients.
• Nutri Pharma was listed on the Oslo Stock exchange in May 2000, which has made it possible to invest more than USD 50 million during the last three years, a significant proportion of which has been invested in R&D, thereby securing the strong IP position.
• The patent portfolio is the most comprehensive in the soy industry – covering more than 1000 patent claims for various composition, process and methods of use patents. The patent portfolio is long lasting (until 2017-2023), and the patents are approved or applied for, in all major international markets.
• Nutri Pharma has developed Abacor®, which is the most effective natural ingredient reducing cholesterol, based on a new PCT composition patent application combining soy protein and phospholipids. Abacor® is registered in all major international markets.
• Abacor® has been shown, in a recent placebo controlled study, to be more than twice as effective lowering cholesterol compared to the best commercial soy protein.
• Abacor® has also been shown to significantly reduce cholesterol further in statin treated patients, and to significantly reduce LDL cholesterol in arteries, homocystein and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease
• Nutri Pharma represents the most profound knowledge and clinical documentation of soy in humans – more than 40 clinical and pre-clinical trials have been performed, many to the same high GCP standards as the pharmaceutical industry
• Nutri Pharma, mainly an R&D organisation, is now seeking industrial partners in the food and pharma sectors with international reach for its patented technologies