CPHI Milan 2026: Clinical data drives hair, mood, heart & cognitive health ingredients

Customers are increasingly opting for human data over hype. In this space, CPHI Milan 2026 will convene pharmaceutical and nutraceutical players who are bringing the latest evidence behind their ingredients to the forefront. Nutrition Insight meets with Pharmactive Biotech Products, ProBiotix Health, Fuji Chemical Industries, and ThreoTech to discuss their latest innovations on display at the show. 

These companies highlight how their specific ingredients, derived from arugula, saffron, astaxanthin, biotics, and magnesium L-threonate, are backed by robust clinical studies.

Meanwhile, Natix will be presenting bioactives and enzyme solutions in digestive health, anti-inflammatory solutions, and skin health. Wecare Probiotics will be displaying clinically validated probiotic strains, and AB-Biotics will present Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KABP 051 for weight management.

Univar Solutions is set to highlight its contributions to pharmaceutical and nutraceutical advancements, while Lubrizol and Gelita will present advanced excipient technologies. Lactalis Ingredients Pharma and Ingredia Health will present dairy-based solutions, and Sirio Europe, next-generation delivery formats.

From hair health to mood and sleep

Carlos Rodriguez, communication manager at Pharmactive Biotech Products, tells us that this year the main highlight is Kyoh — the company’s new standardized Eruca sativa (arugula) extract for hair health — marking an entrance into the growing beauty-from-within category.

Pharmactive Biotech Products’ main highlight is Kyoh for hair health.On the research front, Pharmactive Biotech Products will present new evidence on its ingredients, such as Affron, Abg10+, and Csat. “Compared with last year, we are coming to Milan with both a broader portfolio and new science behind some of our key ingredients,” says Rodriguez.

“Customers still want to know what is new, and innovation remains a key part of the conversation. But they are also asking more questions about the evidence behind an ingredient, what makes it different, and how it can help them build a stronger product proposition.”

“Compared with last year, we see a greater focus on combining innovation with solid substantiation,” he adds. “We also expect AI to be an important topic across the industry this year, as companies explore where it can genuinely add value in research, innovation, and product development. For us, it is key that innovation and evidence go hand in hand.”

According to Rodriguez, the strongest recent example of evidence behind Pharmactive Biotech Products’ portfolio is the latest peer-reviewed clinical study in women aged 50–70 experiencing low mood and poor sleep. He says these women, who took Affron, showed “positive findings across mood and sleep-related well-being, as well as particularly interesting findings on self-esteem.”

“At the same time, we are careful to stay within what was actually studied. The findings relate to a specific population and specific outcomes, and that is how we believe they should be communicated. For us, strong science also means being precise about what the results actually show.”

Probiotics for heart health

Cellan Davies, head of Marketing at ProBiotix Health, shares that ProBiotix Health is placing a greater emphasis on the connection between the gut microbiome and cardiometabolic health in its product development.

“Our patented strain LPLDL is central to this, with multiple independent human intervention studies demonstrating its positive impact on multiple key cardiometabolic biomarkers,” he notes.

The company details that LPLDL has been found to positively impact total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol, alongside apolipoprotein B, triglycerides, and blood pressure in human intervention studies.

Innovation at ProBiotix Health is focusing on the gut microbiome and cardiometabolic health connection.“ProBiotix Health recognizes that cardiometabolic health is complex and that there is still more to understand about the relationship between the gut microbiome and cardiovascular health,” says Davies.

“Our ongoing research aims to explore where the microbiome and LPLDL could play a role beyond established cardiovascular benefits, opening new opportunities across the wider cardiometabolic health landscape.”

Children’s eye health

Fuji Chemical Industries and its subsidiary AstaReal see a prevalent concern with increased screen time starting from a young age. Digital eye strain is becoming more common in children, says Yumiko Kajiwara, the company’s manager for International Sales & Marketing.

“At CPHI, we will share findings from our published pediatric clinical study conducted in India, together with a six-month study conducted in Malaysia that further supported the findings from the Indian study and is now being prepared for publication. The published Indian study showed that AstaReal Natural Astaxanthin supported both chronic and acute digital eye strain, as well as aspects of visual performance in children aged 10 to 14.”

“We will also introduce a broader perspective on health span in response to the growing global interest in longevity,” Kajiwara shares. “Rather than focusing only on living longer, we are exploring how astaxanthin may help support health and function across different stages of life, backed by our extensive body of human clinical research.”

Fuji Chemical will discuss its pediatric clinical study conducted in India and a six-month study conducted in Malaysia on AstaReal Natural Astaxanthin.Kajiwara also expects increased interest in GLP-1 companion nutrition, longevity, and mitochondrial health, which is why the company is seeing how astaxanthin may fit into these emerging areas.

From cognitive health to longevity and sports performance

Solenn Gouilly-Frossard, brand manager Europe at ThreoTech, says that the company has made more efforts to raise awareness of the benefits of its patented magnesium ingredient, Magtein, and has published a study on cognition in a young population. She expects customers to ask how Magtein is different from other forms of magnesium at the event. 

“The evidence on how Magtein works is supported by five published clinical studies on cognition, sleep, memory, and stress. The studies show that Magtein leads to a reduction of brain age but also reduces heart rate and improves sleep and mood,” she says.

Earlier this year, Magtein received clinical backing for its effects in boosting cognitive performance, memory, reaction time, brain cognitive age, and heart rate variability. The study showed that it improved memory, reduced “brain age” by 7.5 years, and enhanced heart rate variability.

“We are still working on new studies, and for the future, we will continue to explore diverse applications of Magtein, including its role in enhancing brain energy, promoting longevity, and improving sports performance,” shares Gouilly-Frossard. 

Enzymes, probiotics & excipients

Focusing on natural, high-performance bioactives and “out-of-nature” enzyme solutions, Natix says it seeks to help pharmaceutical partners develop solutions for targeted applications, including digestive health, anti-inflammatory solutions, and skin health. 

ThreoTech is raising awareness of its patented magnesium ingredient, Magtein, which received clinical backing for its effects in boosting cognition and heart rate variability.The company focuses on plant-derived enzymes like bromelain and papain and animal-derived enzymes like pancreatin, pancrelipase, trypsin, and trypsin/chymotrypsin.

Wecare Probiotics says it will showcase its WecLac science-validated probiotic strains and WecPro formula and application solutions, highlighting clinically supported strains and tailored solutions designed to support innovative applications across health and nutrition. Some strains include BLa80, LRa05, BC99, and Akk11. 

According to the company, BLa80 is clinically substantiated in over 23 clinical trials that support applications in infant nutrition, digestive health, and immune support. 

AB-Biotics says that at CPHI, it will showcase its expanded Cognitive Health portfolio of clinically studied probiotic and postbiotic strains for stress, memory and learning, brain development, and sleep. 

Company experts will present new science on L. plantarum KABP 051 for weight management and on Gyntima Menopause, which the company notes has been clinically shown to modulate estrogen and improve menopausal symptoms. AB-Biotics also points out that its postbiotic medical device for vaginal health, Gyntima Restore, has achieved a Medical Devices Directive certification.

Univar Solutions says that it will showcase how its ingredients, formulation knowledge, and market insights are supporting the next generation of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. It will focus on API sourcing, excipients, biopharma ingredients, GLP‑1 solutions, and high‑purity solvents.

Lubrizol shares that it will focus on multifunctional excipients and drug delivery solutions to help improve product performance while supporting the needs of patients. It will highlight its excipient technologies, such as Apisolex, Apinovex, and Carbopol.

Also showcasing advanced excipient technologies, Gelita will target softgel and bioscience applications. This includes rapid fill release, enteric soft capsules, leakage prevention, and reduced crosslinking, as well as endotoxin-controlled excipients for vaccines, regenerative medicine, 3D bioprinting, and medical devices.

Pharmaceutical lactose will be spotlighted by Lactalis Ingredients Pharma, which says it has full control of quality, traceability, and resources.

Another dairy-based innovator, Ingredia Health, will display milk protein hydrolysates Lactium that contains a bioactive decapeptide with relaxing properties, Xelflex that promotes joint comfort through its anti-inflammatory effect, and Pep2Dia, which contains an active dipeptide that inhibits the activity of the enzyme alpha-glucosidase and increases the secretion of GLP-1. 

Meanwhile, Sirio Europe’s nutraceutical innovation will be presented, ranging from next-generation formats to proven, ready-to-launch concepts. Customers can check out LifeChews jelly tablets, FizzyBits fizzy tabs, new creatine gummy flavors, pharma-grade omega-3 softgels, the Aeion longevity platform, and a first look at Snowmelt, Sirio’s new direct-to-mouth powder format.