Radicle Science closes product “proof-gap” for nutraceutical companies with AI-powered platform

01 Nov 2022 --- Radicle Science, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven biotech player, is launching a “proof-as-a-service” platform to help companies bring quick and affordable scientifically validated proofs of efficacy for products and ingredients beyond mere placebos.

Dubbed the Radicle Proof Engine, the product is described as an AI-driven clinical trial approach that can produce actionable results within 180 days.

“Without easy access to proof, most natural health products are forced to rely on testimonials and fancy advertising to sway consumers, drive sales and differentiate in a crowded market,” states Jaclyn Bowen, executive director of the Clean Label Project.

“The best-selling products often are the ones that spend the most on marketing, regardless of evidence of their effectiveness.” 

“All of this has created a glaring ‘proof gap’ between the benefits supplement companies promise and the scientific evidence to back it up,” adds Bowen.

Cutting the supplement red tape
The company states that it can be very difficult for non-pharmaceutical companies to generate scientific proof for the effects of their products due to both cost and time restraints. It further states that its offering allows for supplement and nutraceutical companies to make defensible and scientifically-backed and verified claims for ingredients and products.

The cost and time needed in traditional clinical trials is a hindrance to many nutraceutical companies.Radicle Science notes that many “unpatentable” supplement companies are unable to afford the multi-year, multi-million dollar clinical trial process. The company stresses this as a significant factor in the preference of pharmaceuticals over nutraceuticals.

It further notes that pharmaceutical spending among Americans was ten times higher than supplements (US$500 billion/year versus US$50 billion/year), despite the fact that 14% more Americans take dietary supplements than prescription drugs.

“We’ve pioneered an AI-driven, crowdsourced, virtual, direct-to-consumer clinical trial approach that delivers rigorous health outcome data,” explains Dr. Jeff Chen, CEO and co-founder of Radicle Science. “For the first time ever, we’ve made trials fast and affordable.”

“Essentially, we’ve transformed clinical trials with automation and standardization the same way Ford Motors transformed auto manufacturing a century ago,” he continues. “We believe every non-pharmaceutical product has the right to compete on real merit and win in the marketplace and, to that end, should have easy access to a clinical trial.”

A better way?
Radicle Science states that traditional clinical trials are often “fundamentally flawed” because they usually do not include broadly diverse population groups and usually use white males from urban areas, which limit who the findings can actually apply to. The company states that it has completed some of the largest clinical trials on natural ingredients with over 20,000 participants.

The company explains that it offers two standardized clinical trials pre-formatted to research specific health areas like sleep, pain, appetite, cognition, quality of life, stress and anxiety to name a few. The Validation trial is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial to prove the effects of nonprescription products. 

Meanwhile, the Discovery trial is a randomized, blinded and controlled clinical trial which allows for comparisons to other natural products as well as exploring new dosages, formulations and formats.

“Proof creates trust with all stakeholders, proof also drives transformation and we’re transforming natural health products and dietary supplements into proven personalized medicines that are accessible to all,” says Pelin Thorogood, Radicle Science co-founder and executive chair. 

“The large scale and diversity of the populations we study make our findings more equitable, relevant and personalized for society at large.”

Edited by William Bradford Nichols