Beyond The Headlines: Abbott’s sales growth, Ayana Bio to develop plant cell saffron

26 Jan 2024 --- This week in nutrition news, Abbott reported double-digit organic sales growth for 2023 and predicted 2024 sales growth. Meanwhile, Ayana Bio partnered with South Korean-based Wooree Green Science to develop plant cell-derived saffron and other bioactives for health products. Also, the Irish RCSI University joined forces with Serosep to personalize treatment for ulcerative colitis and improve quality of life. 

Business news 
Abbott has shared its 2023 financial results, reporting four quarters of double-digit organic sales growth in the underlying base business and a deep and diverse product pipeline. The company’s global sales reached US$40 billion, an organic increase of 12% compared to the year before. This figure excludes revenue from COVID-19 testing, which declined. Abbott’s key business units with the most substantial growth included medical devices at 15% and nutrition at 149%. For 2024, the company has set a range for organic sales growth, excluding COVID-19 testing-related sales, at 8–10% and adjusted diluted earnings per share of US$4.50–4.70. 

Plant cell technology company Ayana Bio announced a joint development agreement with Wooree Green Science, a subsidiary of Wooree Bio, to develop plant cell-derived saffron and other bioactive ingredients for health and wellness products for the South Korean market. The partners aim to increase the accessibility and affordability of botanical ingredients such as saffron, which is proven to aid in weight loss by suppressing appetite and increasing metabolism. However, climate change-driven crop failures exacerbate the constrained supply of the botanical, making it too expensive for supplements. Ayana Bio’s plant cell cultivation technology produces the same range of plant bioactives found in nature and its health benefits without constraints from conventional agriculture. 

Ayana Bio and Wooree Green Science signed a joint development agreement to make plant cell-derived ingredients (Image credit: Ayana Bio).The Irish RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences partnered with diagnostics company Serosep to personalize treatment for ulcerative colitis and improve the quality of life for patients suffering from the condition. The partners joined forces to accelerate the development of technology and new tests to help predict disease progression of the inflammatory bowel disease that damages the gut lining over time. They aim to validate specific ulcerative colitis biomarkers identified by RCSI to create a new in vitro diagnostic solution to support clinicians in deciding the most suitable treatment. 

The Seeding The Future Foundation and the Institute of Food Technologists announced the five winners of their Global Food System Challenge. This challenge awards US$1 million annually for innovations transforming food systems to be more equitable and leading to nutritious and safe food through sustainable practices. The winning innovations include nutrient-dense porridges for schools in Zambia, an innovative approach to addressing food insecurity in Indonesia and novel nutritious and affordable composite flours for school feeding programs in Uganda. These innovations were selected out of over 900 submissions from 78 countries. 

Particles for Humanity has assembled an advisory board to guide the company through the upcoming commercialization of its core product, PFF-VAP, and expand R&D on its new applications. Currently in development for large-scale food fortification to combat malnutrition and vitamin A deficiency, PFF-VAP is four times as stable as commercial vitamin A when tested under hot and humid conditions, which renders many types of vitamin A unstable. The four-person advisory board includes Kul Chandra Gautam, M.G. Venkatesh Mannar, Uwa Osa-Oboh and Adedotun Sulaiman. Together, they bring experience in malnutrition, food fortification, global health, entrepreneurship and African markets to strengthen Particles for Humanity’s strategic plans. 

Certification and accreditation news 
Clasado Biosciences achieved ISO 9001:2015 accreditation for quality management systems, awarded by independent assessment business LRQA. The company was audited against the standard, which provides a framework to establish, maintain and continually improve internal quality management systems. After analyzing the Clasado business on the standard’s seven quality management principles — customer focus, leadership, employee engagement, process control, improvement, evidence-based decision-making and relationship management — the audit found no further recommendations for improvement. 

Clasado Biosciences achieved ISO accreditation for quality management systems after the audit found no further recommendations.BGG World received an Ecovadis silver medal for its sustainable manufacturing practices. A silver medal from the world’s largest provider of business sustainability ratings indicates that BGG World scored among the top 15% on Ecovadis’ criteria for a company’s sustainability management system. These criteria are based on three management pillars — policies, actions and results. Ecovadis defines 21 sustainability criteria based on international Sustainable Development standards, looking at the environment, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. 

Roquette has achieved International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) Plus for its isosorbide, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable practices along the value chain for its plant-based ingredients under the Polysorb brand. This product offers a versatile and eco-friendly alternative to traditional materials. It is a 100% plant-based monomer and helps to enhance the performance and minimize the environmental impact of materials used in packaging, plasticizers, polycarbonates, polyurethanes,paints and coatings. ISCC Plus is a voluntary scheme that applies to the bioeconomy and circular economy for food, feed, chemicals, plastics, packaging, textiles and renewable feedstock derived from a process using renewable energy sources. 

Product launches 
AstaReal has launched a rebranded version of Astaxin with a minimalist Nordic product design. The astaxanthin-containing supplement is available in online stores, health food stores and selected pharmacies for consumers in Sweden and Norway. The formula combines microalgae-based astaxanthin with vitamins C and E, protecting cells and supporting active, healthy lifestyles. The Swedish company also plans to launch a vegan version for the European market. 

InsideTracker, a health analysis and data-driven wellness guide, announced the addition of a new VO2max development to its product to help members distinguish their ideal VO2max. Reflecting the maximum amount of oxygen used during aerobic exercise, this rating is considered a marker of endurance performance. It is associated with improved function across other longevity indicators such as heart and lung health, inflammation and susceptibility to early death and disease. Adding the VO2max development to InsideTracker’s platform will also help members identify trends and patterns in their data, reveal how metrics influence physio markers and provide personalized, science-backed recommendations to improve levels. Members can connect wearable devices that measure VO2max to their account to receive personalized feedback. 

To help its members find their ideal level, InsideTracker added a new VO2max development to its product (Image credit: InsideTracker).Scientific studies 
According to a survey conducted on behalf of the American Heart Association, 51% of US citizens do not know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the country, even though this has been the number one killer since 1921. The organization’s 2024 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics report also reveals that 49% of US citizens have a type of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke. Moreover, 47% of US adults have high blood pressure, while 38% of those are unaware they have it. This is a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke but can be controlled with proper treatment and management. Meanwhile, while death rates from CVD have declined by 60% since 1950, these have started to go up as the prevalence of risk factors like high blood pressure and obesity rise. 

Research published in BMJ Open links energy drink consumption to insomnia and poor sleep quality among college students. While higher consumption was linked to less sleep, even drinking one to three cans a month is connected to a heightened risk of sleep disturbances. The researchers obtained data from the Students’ Health and Well-being Study, covering 53,266 participants aged 18–35 who detailed how often they consumed energy drinks and their usual sleep patterns. Both men and women consuming the drinks daily slept half an hour less than people reporting occasional or no consumption. Insomnia was more common among women and men reporting daily consumption than people not taking energy drinks — 51% compared to 33% in women and 37% versus 22% in men. The study relied on self-assessment and did not have access to information on the timing of consumption or exact quantities drunk. The researchers also noted that reverse causality may explain the associations, where energy drink consumption may be a consequence of poor sleep rather than a cause. 

The prevalence of childhood obesity in England has grown fastest and most robust in the 11–15 year age group, rising from 30% in 1995 to 38% in 2019, according to a study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. Moreover, it revealed that the inequality gap in rates has deepened, driven by differences in deprivation, gender, family structure, ethnicity and parental education. Overall prevalence of childhood overweight or obesity rose from 26% in 1995–96 to 32% in 2019, peaking at 33% in 2003–04. The gap between children from households with no qualifications versus degree-level qualifications increased from -1% in 1995 to 13% in 2019, while the gap between single-parent families and couple households grew from -0.5% in 1995 to 5% in 2019. The researchers compared data from the annual Health Survey for England (HSE) with the National Child Measurement Programme for primary school kids, analyzing data for 56,583 HSE children. 

By Jolanda van Hal