Aker Biomarine’s krill-based brain health ingredient approved for sale in US

14 Aug 2023 --- Aker Biomarine’s brain health ingredient, Lysoveta, has achieved new dietary ingredient (NDI) status in the US, allowing the company to locally market the new ingredient.

The ingredient is derived from krill and contains lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)-bound EPA and DHA. LPC has been identified as a carrier of DHA and EPA across the blood-brain barrier, which both play essential roles by regulating inflammatory processes and supporting cells and organs, such as the brain. 

“Lysoveta’s NDI status marks a big step for us as we continue to hit milestones and seek out customer partnerships in the US. Under this NDI status, we can market Lysoveta at up to 1.5 grams/day for the general adult population,” Matts Johansen, CEO at Aker Biomarine, tells Nutrition Insight. 

“From new delivery formats for krill oil to protein and other applications, there are many projects in the works where we seek to utilize this great resource and bring new innovative products to the health ingredient market. Although small in size, krill are massive regarding the impact they can have on human health.”

Johansen underscores that brain health remains a major research area. “As of today, there is no other commercially available LPC ingredient in the market. This has opened a huge lane for us at Aker Biomarine, providing the potential of krill and brain health.” 

Johansen notes that providing EPA and DHA in LPC form has shown to be more efficient at delivering these nutrients to the brain in the form it needs to utilize them in the best possible way. 

LPC has been identified as a carrier of DHA and EPA across the blood-brain barrier (Image credit: Aker Biomarine).Optimizing delivery of omega 3
The efficient delivery of DHA and EPA to tissues and organs, such as the brain, is essential and may hold important implications for health and disease, explains Johansen. These compounds offer multiple mechanisms of action for supporting brain health and function.

“DHA and EPA cannot be synthesized efficiently in the brain and must be transported across the blood-brain barrier. The MFSD2A transporter [a protein coding gene] is the major transporter for the uptake of these omega 3 fatty acids into the brain,” explains Johansen. 

He adds that the MFSD2A only recognizes esterified DHA and EPA in the form of LPC, which is the same molecule found in Lysoveta, making it easier for these essential brain nutrients to be delivered to organs.

“LPC transport is critical for providing LPC as building blocks for the formation of neurons and regulation of membrane phospholipid composition,” details Johansen. 

“It is also required for providing choline, which is important for the formation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.” 

Moreover, Johansen notes MFSD2A is also present in other vital organs such as the eye and liver, highlighting the potential for beneficial effects of Lysoveta beyond brain health.

Scientific backing 
Aker Biomarine notes that several studies indicate how LPC-DHA efficiently increases brain DHA content and improves brain function in animal studies, thus providing a novel nutraceutical approach for improving cognitive decline during aging.

“One example is a pre-clinical trial published in Nature Scientific Reports, comparing LPC/DHA to free DHA after a feeding period of 30 days. The study showed that oral administration of DHA to normal adult mice as LPC (40 mg DHA/kg) for 30 days increased DHA content of the brain by >2-fold,” clarifies Johansen.  

In contrast, the same amount of free DHA did not increase brain DHA but the DHA in adipose tissue and heart, he notes.

“Moreover, LPC-DHA treatment markedly improved spatial learning and memory, whereas free DHA had no effect. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor increased in all brain regions with LPC-DHA, but not free DHA.”  

Johansen points out that these studies indicate that LPC-DHA provides a nutraceutical approach for preventing and treating neurological diseases associated with DHA deficiency, such as Alzheimer’s disease. 

“We are researching to help make LPC-bound EPA and DHA the go-to solution for brain health and working with well-established area experts to uncover commercial opportunities for Lysoveta. The recent FDA status was the next milestone in making this happen,” adds Line Johnsen, SVP of Science & Regulatory Affairs at Aker Biomarine.

Aker Biomarine can market Lysoveta at up to 1.5 grams/day for adults (Image credit: Aker Biomarine). Potential of krill 
Aker Biomarine’s innovation and research programs focus on developing and commercializing krill-derived products in various applications, including Lysoveta. 

The company has spent seven years of research and development around Lysoveta.

“Through our uniquely suitable raw material, we have developed a patent-protected process for large-scale production of LPC-EPA/DHA at our Houston-based manufacturing plant,” says Johansen. 

“Over the next year, we will start our human clinical trials focused on cognitive function and other brain health-related areas with our partners and institutions worldwide. We are working with well-established area experts to continue pushing Lysoveta in the right direction and searching for strategic partnerships to bring this novel, innovative brain health ingredient to consumers across the globe.” 

Earlier this year, the company signed an agreement with Dr. David Silver to expand krill research for brain health with Lysoveta. Dr. Silver is an expert in biochemistry and lipid metabolism. 

Last year, Aker Biomarine presented a technology to utilize the power of phospholipids in krill while reducing the company’s carbon footprint. 

By Jolanda van Hal