BASF targets fatty liver disease with US launch of Hepaxa product
23 Feb 2018 --- BASF is launching Hepaxa to help patients manage non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in what the corporation describes as “the first dedicated product in the US” to potentially assist tens of millions of patients with one of the most common forms of chronic liver disease. And it could begin to “turn around” non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in as little as six months, according to BASF executives.
Providing highly concentrated and pure eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), Hepaxa is the first product in the US specifically designed to address a buildup of fat in the liver, known as steatosis, in NAFLD patients.
Studies have shown that NAFLD patients are deficient in these important fatty acids – EPA and DHA – and this is where Hepaxa comes in.
It increases the levels of the fatty acids in the blood, which in turn improves the liver’s ability to process excessive fat stored there while inhibiting the conversion of dietary carbohydrates into fat.
A 2017 BASF study has shown that Hepaxa, which will be distributed in the US through DIEM Labs, LLC, is effective and safe in the dietary management of NAFLD patients.
BASF plans to publish the clinical results of this product-specific human intervention trial later this year.
Patented purification technology
Hepaxa is manufactured using a patented purification technology removing persistent organic pollutants and other unwanted lipids such as cholesterol, which are naturally found in all fish oil-based products.
Research has shown that one specific pollutant, PCB 153, is particularly harmful to NAFLD patients. The liver function of NAFLD patients is compromised and it is important to avoid additional exposure to unwanted components of traditional fish oil.
“BASF’s launch of Hepaxa is the result of our research and development efforts targeting liver health, where we are capitalizing on our unique scientific competencies,” says Christoph Garbotz, Head of Commercial Management Advanced Health Solutions, BASF.
“With NAFLD rapidly becoming a major public health concern worldwide, we are proud to now offer this first-to-market, dedicated solution for NAFLD patients in the US”
“Hepaxa is uniquely positioned to support the dietary management of steatosis in NAFLD patients,” says Tim Prince, Director of Sales at DIEM Labs.
“Healthcare providers are continuously looking for an adjunctive treatment to exercise and weight loss therapy to recommend to their patients. Hepaxa can now be used to begin turning around NAFLD in as little as six months.”
Hepaxa is available as a medical food product in the US to NAFLD patients 10 years and older for use under physician supervision.
