Ethical Naturals Inc. Licenses New Patented Method for Manufacturing Vegetable-Source Glucosamine
10 Sep 2015 --- ENI (Ethical Naturals Inc.) has announced that it has signed a license agreement with ALS (Arkion Life Sciences, LLC) for the patents that employ a microbial fermentation process to produce N-acetyl glucosamine and glucosamine. This license agreement gives ENI the legal right to make, sell, import, and export the patent-protected glucosamine wherever ALS has issued patents and patent applications. The resulting USP-grade, GMO-free, vegetable-source glucosamine will be marketed under ENI’s GreenGrown® Glucosamine brand.
For supplement manufacturers eager to grow market share among the rapidly growing vegetarian and vegan market or for those prone to allergies, this new high-quality, vegetable-source glucosamine option promises a market advantage.
Until now, the supplement industry has had one option when it comes to non-animal glucosamine: material manufactured by conversion of chitin in fungal biomass through a process patented by Cargill. The most commonly used glucosamine today is shellfish derived, and this material does present several shortcomings, including raw material pollution and unwelcome allergic side effects that require label warnings. This product is made from corn.
This is the second intellectual property win for ENI in respect to glucosamine: in 2011 the company received a patent for its method of identifying the unique markers that differentiate between shellfish- and vegetable-based glucosamine. This is a critical step in validating the supply chain and ensuring accurate labeling of finished products, because according to FDA DSHEA and Dietary Supplement Labeling Guidelines, shellfish-derived glucosamine carries an allergy warning.
ENI CEO Cal Bewicke said, “The new license agreement means that GreenGrown® Glucosamine products are now protected by two patents that cover both Quality Assurance (identity testing) and Manufacturing (the fermentation process). These two patents put us in a strong position, where our customers get verified vegetable source material and will be protected from any potential patent infringement. In a field crowded with hundreds of joint care products, GreenGrown® Glucosamine, used as a stand-alone or combined with other ingredients such as Opti-MSM®, provides a real value-added opportunity.”
ENI produced glucosamine is derived from corn, which is increasingly becoming recognized as a source of food allergy and intolerance. Allergies to corn result in similar symptoms to shellfish allergies – difficulty breathing, rashes, nausea, headaches or sinus problems. Glucosamine is not FDA regulated and as such, one should always seek the advice of a health care professional prior to taking this supplement.
