Noventure lands license agreement for high-purity omega 3 supplement with Azur

18 Feb 2021 --- Spain-based Noventure has signed an exclusivity agreement with Azur – a division of Solutex – for the licensing rights of EPA3G, a patented emulsion of high-purity eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in over 50 countries.

The supplement boasts 3 g of pure EPA in a single dose and comes in a drinkable single sachet format.

“The agreement is a great opportunity for growth in an expanding market, since EPA3G is a very well differentiated product,” José Luis Fumanal, vice president, sales and marketing for Noventure, tells NutritionInsight.

Terms and expansion plans
While he can’t divulge any information on the financial terms of the agreement, Fumanal says that the company’s focus will mostly be an European expansion.

“Together with Azur, we will keep building strong partnerships based on a shared understanding of people’s needs and pursue market opportunities while growing together,” says Luciano Conde, CEO of Noventure. 

Under the terms of the agreement, Noventure has the rights to license EPA3G to specialized companies. These companies must have marketing expertise and knowledge in the commercialization of high-end food supplements. 

José Luis Fumanal, vice president, sales and marketing for Noventure.The agreement covers over 50 countries on different continents, including all EU members and associated states, the UK, the Balkans, Russia, Ukraine, Eurasian countries, Mexico, Taiwan and several African states. 

EPA3G’s market differentiation
Within the marketplace, there is a huge offering in omega 3 supplements, the company supports. 

There is also much debate on the amount of omega 3 required to deliver meaningful health benefits and on what is a realistic dosage to suit everyday lifestyles. 

The current options of multiple servings, or bulky, difficult-to-swallow capsules, are not ideal, Noventure says.

EPA3G can successfully fill this market gap, providing almost 3 g of pure EPA in one easy-to-take daily dose. In addition, it has a pleasant texture, taste and scent.

“Globally, EPA is gaining importance and becoming a part of many consumers’ daily diets. The key reasons for this market growth have been the increased prevalence of lifestyle diseases and people choosing preventive healthcare measures,” says Julio Boza, CEO of Azur. 

“Consumer desire for high effectiveness and bioavailability has also ensured manufacturers seek more highly concentrated forms to better provide efficacious doses of EPA.” 

The company believes this technology will allow people to satisfy their omega 3 requirements in a convenient drinkable format. 

“This is an example of transforming science and technology into breakthrough, sustainable commercial solutions,” adds Boza.

EPA soars in popularity
The omega 3 space is seeing a lot of activity and many players are coming forward with innovative formulations and clinically backed ingredients.

Aker BioMarine obtained rights to the University of Illinois Chicago’s intellectual property related to lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC). The company will supply the university with LPC-bound EPA and DHA derived from Antarctic krill to further its research on brain and eye function.

BASF also funded a study investigating the varying effects of DHA-rich versus EPA-rich supplementation on sleep. It revealed participants supplementing with DHA-rich oil improved their sleep efficiency and latency (the time it takes to fall asleep).

Meanwhile, Evonik’s omega 3 lysine complex, AvailOm, was shown to produce faster absorption and bioavailability than a standard oil-based ethyl-ester omega 3 formulation in the first human clinical trial conducted on the product.

By Kristiana Lalou