Streamlining NPD: Sibelius’ ingredients assessment platform overcomes research hurdles

03 May 2019 --- Identifying the health-promoting properties of an ingredient can be a costly and time-consuming process for manufacturers. This is where ingredient company Sibelius Natural Products new platform comes in, which could prove revolutionary for product development. Sibelius has developed a platform that can accelerate product development in the natural ingredients space. The Chronoscreen platform, which is a functional assay of biological activity, can help determine an ingredient’s potential before manufacturers commit to investing at more expensive stages of a development pipeline.

Speaking to NutritionInsight, Loukiana Chatzinasiou, Product Manager at Sibelius Natural Products says the platform caters to the rising need for functional ingredients and streamline the process to the benefit of both manufacturers and consumers.

Sibelius was founded in 2015 as an Oxford University spin-out with an objective to increase healthspan and wellbeing. Through the development of branded, traceable, scientifically-evidenced and clinically-proven natural ingredients. 

Loukiana Chatzinasiou, Product Manager at Sibelius Natural Products“Sibelius Natural Products is answering the demand of both consumers and regulators to demonstrate clinical evidence. Unlike many herbal suppliers, Sibelius was founded first on its testing technology. Chronoscreen was its first development, and later, the company set about cultivating its own proprietary ingredients utilizing the Chronoscreen platform,” Chatzinasiou explains. 

Bridging the gap between research and trial
Chronoscreen bridges the gap between fundamental research and clinical trials, Chatzinasiou notes. Sibelius’ patented method allows for faster and more comprehensive identification of the biological activity of potential natural ingredients. 

The platform tests populations of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), due to its strong physiological similarities to humans. It measures the lifespan in populations of C. elegans and their responses to different natural ingredients and products. 

“Extension of lifespan indicates the tested ingredient had a beneficial effect on the regulation of cellular aging and therefore, may have delayed the onset of age-related conditions in the organism,” explains Chatzinasiou. 

Given the strong correlation of the pathways of cellular aging between animal species, the premise is that these ingredients should also have beneficial effects on human health.

“Chronoscreen has been successfully applied to investigate the biological activity of several natural ingredients and products in the nutraceutical and cosmeceutical industries,” she adds. 

Products developed through the platform
Sibelius has developed its own proprietary ingredients via the Chronoscreen platform. Sibelius: Sage is touted as enhancing memory and attention and Sibelius: Chamomile which the company says naturally promotes “restful sleep.” 

“Both ingredients demonstrated significant extension to lifespan paving the way to further studies for the health benefits of each product,” Chatzinasiou says. 

Sibelius: Sage was clinically tested among a cohort of healthy seniors, and showed a significant improvement compared to a baseline in secondary memory and attention accuracy. 

“Sibelius: Sage’s effects are unique in that significant cognitive improvements were detected as soon as one hour after administration; specifically, in working memory, secondary memory and accuracy of attention. Unlike other cognitive supplements, the benefits of Sibelius: Sage do not require weeks or months to demonstrate an effect,” Chatzinasiou says. 

Sage Plant

Utilizing Sibelius’ proprietary ingredients, six products have been identified, developed and launched with Chronoscreen and three more ingredients are currently in development with key Global Brand partners, she adds. 

Supporting cognitive performance
Sibelius and its finished products are focused on cognitive performance, mood, sleep health and clinically validated ingredients with well-substantiated claims, according to Chatzinasiou. 

“More specifically, Sibelius: Sage taps into major trends driving the growth in the cognitive health marketplace: the aging population, the rising interest in nootropics among all demographics and memory enhancement,” she notes. “Memory enhancement is, and is believed to remain, the largest segment through 2024 and is a key driver in the cognitive health industry.”

Brain health claims are on the rise, with more than twice as many products reported with a brain health claim in 2017 than in 2013, according to Innova Market Insights. As a result, we see fortification for a well-functioning brain through the use of nutritionals such as coffee fruit, vitamin B and DHA omega 3. 

“Additionally, there is a trend for young adults to improve performance to maintain a competitive edge. Sibelius is finalizing trial results to assess the specific cognitive and performance benefits of Sibelius: Sage within this population,” Chatzinasiou says. 

Challenging aspects and formulation hurdles
For herbal supplements, the challenge has been how to cross the chasm of culinary herb to herbal/medicinal supplement, according to Chatzinasiou. This requires not just a strong back story, but finding ingredients that have an immediate effect upon sampling along with strong scientific data showing the ingredients’ efficacy. 

Sibelius lab“Utilizing Chronoscreen and working closely with our brand and manufacturing partners, we were able to demonstrate Sibelius: Sage and Sibelius: Chamomile as valid herbal/medicinal supplements, as well as overcome the solubility and extraction hurdles commonly associated with herbal supplements,” she says.

Chatzinasiou goes on to explain that in developing innovative formats, sage’s limited solubility in water and bitter flavor also presented hurdles. “Our new sage beverage powder sachets, prove that there are ways to transform sage herb into a water-soluble and good-tasting energy drink.” 

“Another example is our Roman chamomile ingredient, Sibelius: Chamomile, which will be launched later this year in two different formats, tincture and powder. The optimal method to transform the tincture into a powder was also a challenging task, which our team has successfully overcome,” she notes.

Chatzinasiou also flags consumer education on herbal ingredients as yet another challenging aspect. Although more consumers have incorporated food supplements into their daily routine, their knowledge about the different herbal ingredients and their quality is very limited, she says. 

“Combined with the availability of numerous health supplements in the market, this creates confusion among consumers. Bringing two new, branded, high-quality ingredients to the supplements market needs continuous consumer education so that people may become aware of their beneficial properties and make better choices in the future,” she concludes. 

The herbal supplements space grows analogically with consumer demands for natural, health-promoting ingredients and NPD is expected to see a boost in exciting new launches.

By Kristiana Lalou