Valensa International obtains two US patents for joint health formulations

04 Oct 2017 --- The US Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Florida-based Valensa International two new patents, locking down patent protection for the core ingredients related to the company’s FlexPro MD and FlexPro ES. In clinical trials, these dietary formulations for joint health were shown to be three to five times more effective in relieving joint discomfort than a standard commercial formulation of glucosamine and chondroitin. 

The first of the two patents was granted for Flexuron Plus, Valensa’s proprietary, non-animal derived and highly-bioactive formula that features Medium-Chain Hyaluronic Acid (which has a lower molecular weight than traditional hyaluronic acid), when used in combination with the antioxidant Astaxanthin. Flexuron Plus is now available for licensing as a separate ingredient or finished product. 

The second patent was granted to Valensa for their bioavailable Zanthin Astaxanthin that has been coupled with Phospholipids. The Flexuron Plus blend of Zanthin Astaxanthin (a down-regulator of pro-inflammatory cytokines) and immunogenic hyaluronic acid, enhanced in the presence of phospholipid-based surfactants, has been clinically shown to dramatically reduce knee joint discomfort. In recent clinical trials, Valensa has demonstrated that this multi-patented blend works fast and has a cumulative beneficial effect over time on maximizing joint comfort.

Valensa’s joint formulations, including FlexPro MD and FlexPro ES, are available for multiple distribution channels, including retail mass market and specialty health stores.

According to Umasudhan C.P., CEO of Valensa, the ever-growing patent family protecting Flexuron Plus allows Valensa to develop the next generation of highly potent and mechanism-based joint formulations.

The human clinical study measuring the effectiveness of FlexPro MD, which contains Flexuron Plus, showed dramatic and nearly linear continuous improvement in joint discomfort over the 56-day clinical trial period. This trial showed that FlexPro MD was three to five times more effective in relieving joint discomfort than a standard commercial formulation of glucosamine and chondroitin (positive control arm) or the placebo control arm. Furthermore, joint discomfort began as early as seven days from trial initiation and by the end of the study subjects reported that they were essentially “pain-free.”

“Animal studies as well as in vitro cell culture work using real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction, or PCR, confirmed that our mechanism-based approach to product design was not only extremely effective and commercially rewarding, but also provided us with an extended vision into the design of even more potent and cost-effective next-generation joint healthcare products,” says Dr. John Minatelli, Sr. VP Business Development at Valensa who led the product development and clinical trials for FlexPro MD and Flexuron Plus.

In related news, Valensa International recently partnered up with Kemin Industries to jointly supply and market BetaVia ingredients, immune-supporting beta-glucans sourced from a proprietary strain of algae (Euglena gracilis), in the US dietary supplement and functional food and beverage markets. 

This partnership creates a two-armed sales approach to the US dietary supplement and functional foods and beverages markets. The Kemin sales team will service the functional food and beverage customers, while Valensa’s sales team will service customers producing dietary supplements.

“Valensa and its affiliate Parry Nutraceuticals are market leaders in microalgae-based supplements with well-established ingredient brands in over 30 countries,” Umasudhan C.P. says about the partnership. “The relationship with Kemin allows us to introduce novel immunity supplement formulations made stronger by BetaVia, to our omnichannel customer base in the US and internationally.”