ChromaDex Launches pTeroPure Pterostilbene

Commenting on the announcement, ChromaDex CEO, Frank Jaksch, stated, “pTeroPure Pterostilbene has the potential to be one of the most significant, new ingredients the dietary supplement industry has seen in a long time.

28 Apr 2010 --- ChromaDex Corporation, a natural products chemistry company which provides novel and innovative ingredients to the dietary supplement, food, beverage and cosmetic markets, announced the launch of pTeroPure terostilbene (tero-STILL-bean). This exciting new product introduction is based on the grant of an exclusive worldwide license to all patent rights of pterostilbene from the University of Mississippi and the Agricultural Research Service, which is the principle intramural scientific agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The term of the license is up to and including the expiration of various pterostilbene patents held by the licensors.

As a result of the licensing agreement, ChromaDex plans to immediately pursue clinical studies and commercialization of its new product, pTeroPure pterostilbene.

Commenting on the announcement, ChromaDex CEO, Frank Jaksch, stated, “pTeroPure Pterostilbene has the potential to be one of the most significant, new ingredients the dietary supplement industry has seen in a long time. Most people may not yet know of pterostilbene, but we, and others, believe this naturally occurring compound’s improved activity and potency may soon make it as well known as its highly-successful, well known relative, resveratrol.”

Pterostilbene is chemically related to resveratrol, a compound that can be found in the grapes, blueberries, and other small fruits, as well as the bark of some trees. Resveratrol is thought to be at least partly responsible for the health benefits attributed to drinking red wine, which include cardiovascular health and cancer prevention. In laboratory tests, pterostilbene it has shown promise for improving cardiovascular health, glucose levels, anti-ageing and cognitive function; and, possessing cancer-fighting properties. Various scientific publications have shown that pterostilbene has significantly higher activity compared to resveratrol.

Research chemist Agnes Rimando first encountered pterostilbene when she was a graduate student at the University of Chicago. Rimando works with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, Natural Products Utilization Research Unit, housed in the University of Mississippi National Center for Natural Products Research. When studies in the 1990s suggested that resveratrol provided substantial health benefits, Rimando began experimenting with pterostilbene in hopes of finding similar activity.

In 2003, Rimando asked Dennis Feller, former UM professor and chair of pharmacology, and Wallace Yokoyama at USDA Western Regional Research Center in Albany, Calif., to collaborate on studies of the compound, targeting a particular protein in cells that is involved in fatty acid metabolism and transport. Results of their work were presented at the American Chemical Society meeting in 2004 and attracted widespread attention, including coverage on national and international TV and radio stations, and mentions in Time, Parade and other consumer magazines.

Rimando and colleagues at other institutions have continued to study the compound. Preliminary results of a new study of its effectiveness for protecting cognitive function against age-related diseases, completed by Rimando and scientists at Case Western Reserve University, were presented at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society, on March 21-25 in San Francisco.

The development of pterostilbene as a potential dietary supplement demonstrates the value of collaborations between the School of Pharmacy, NCNPR and USDA, said Barbara G. Wells, dean of the UM pharmacy school. "These types of projects allow us to share expertise and help solve problems related to the health and well-being of people everywhere," Wells said. "We actively seek partnerships with other academic institutions and state and federal agencies, and we are pleased that this particular partnership has yielded such encouraging results." The licensing agreement with ChromaDex is a prime example of how academic research can promote economic development, said Walt Chambliss, UM director of technology management.

"ChromaDex is just the kind of company we want to work with," Dr. Walter Chambliss, Director Technology Management, University of Mississippi, said. "They know the value of our research, and that's the key ingredient in a partnership like this.

"UM and USDA researchers working at Ole Miss share a common desire to translate research into commercial products. We couldn't be happier about our agreement with ChromaDex. It's just further testament to the ability of our researchers to do work that attracts commercial interest."