KEY INTERVIEW: Evonik Health Care Business Line Strengthens with MedPalett AS Purchase

09 May 2016 --- Dr Ludger Eilers, Director Food Segment of Product Line Pharma and Food Ingredients of Evonik, spoke with NutritionInsight about developments in their Health Care Business Line since joining the company 6 months ago.

Evonik, the German creative industrial group, is one of the world’s leading specialty chemicals companies as approximately 82 percent of sales are generated outside Germany. However, it also abides by its Health Care mission: “We passionately create value for our customers by designing the right solution from our broad portfolio of products, services and technologies in the field of pharmaceuticals, medical devices and food ingredients,” Dr Eilers explained.

Dr Eilers brings 10 years of leadership experience from global chemical producer BASF in North America and Europe in business management.

“We are the only partner to the nutrition industry that brings health ingredients together with targeted delivery technologies out of one hand. By adding health ingredients and targeted delivery technologies we achieve a result for our customers that is more than 1+1=2.“

“We see ourselves as an innovation enabler that unlocks growth potential for our customers by offering differentiation opportunities for brand owners, for example for heart health.“

The Evonik Health Care Business Line is divided into three product lines: Exclusive Synthesis of APIs [Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients], Pharma Polymers & Services (including EUDRAGIT oral delivery technologies), and Pharma & Food Ingredients.
Providing the best health ingredients (or nutraceuticals), as well as coatings, and formulations is essential: “Evonik is unique as it is the only supplier to bring these three together for the benefit to the customer,” Eilers states.

Targeted delivery systems of health ingredients is one of the big topics for Evonik. But why does it matter? Dr Eilers clarifies:
“With personal health awareness and health care costs on the rise, consumers increasingly rely on nutraceuticals to improve overall well-being and to address or prevent specific health conditions. Accordingly, consumers look for nutraceutical products that deliver maximum potency and efficacy."

“The pressing question for nutraceutical producers is how to design nutraceutical products that are not only pleasant to consume but that deliver reliable health benefits. That's why we have developed the EUDRAGUARD coating family as targeted delivery system,” he explains.

“On the one hand, high-quality ingredients are a must. On the other, ingredients must be delivered to the right absorption site in the body to unfold their full benefits."

Some of the most popular nutraceutical ingredients benefit greatly from targeted delivery. “Anthocyanins and many herbal components are best absorbed in the stomach; zinc and iron are best taken up in the jejunum and important vitamins such as Vitamin C and Vitamin B12 are best absorbed in the ileum.”

“Evonik’s coating formulations are designed to help customers deliver dietary supplements to the right place at the right time, while appealing to the most discerning consumers."

Further details of Evoniks nutraceutical customer workshops and research updates are provided in the first Health Care Bulletin, which was launched last month as well as on the website.

Developments
Last month Evonik announced their procurement of MedPalett AS, which shows how the Health Care Business Line is developing: “Evonik has been a partner to the food ingredients industry for decades with high-purity amino acids. Expanding the portfolio with nutritional solutions which promote health is a logical step in the development of the Health Care business. That’s why Evonik has acquired MedPalett AS and Medox,” Eilers noted.

So how will this purchase benefit the company? “MedPalett AS specializes in food ingredients containing anthocyanins. The acquisition helps Evonik to strengthen the portfolio of its Health Care Business Line in the area of advanced food ingredients."

“Anthocyanins are known for their natural antioxidant properties. Numerous international studies suggest broad health-promoting properties including cardiovascular disease risk prevention.”

“We are seeing an increase in demand for innovative food ingredients, especially those made from natural substances with scientifically proven benefits, and that’s something we want to be a part of.”

“MedPalett, which previously belonged to the Norwegian Biolink Group, developed a berry extract from wild Scandinavian bilberries and black currants from New Zealand that has a particularly high and stable anthocyanin content. The berry extract, which is marketed as dietary supplement under the brand name Medox, has been available in Scandinavia since the year 2000.”

The future
There are upcoming plans for Evonik’s Pharma & Food Ingredients product line: “We will continue to build our portfolio by leveraging Evonik’s vast R&D resources and the unique footprint in the Pharma industry built up over the last six decades when it comes to quality, R&D capabilities, regional presence with our 10 application labs and last but not least our global sales force.”

“Evonik is planning to add further exciting health ingredients out of its R&D pipeline to the portfolio in the near future.”

“Leveraging this experience and expanding portfolio into delivery technologies for supplements and functional food is also a logical step,” Dr Eilers concludes.

Evonik will also be present at Vitafoods Europe, 10-12 May 2016, Palexpo, Geneva.

by Kerina Tull