News: 13 August 07
Investment supports scientific validation of natural health product

Investment from the Foundation? for Research, Science and Technology has supported a health product manufacturer validate the science underpinning a natural product, giving the company an edge in a lucrative segment of the dietary supplements market.

Clinical trials have delivered outstanding results for the kiwifruit-derived supplement which is designed to promote regularity and long term gut health and has been developed and manufactured by Auckland company Vital Foods.

Two double blinded placebo trials of a product containing the company’s proprietary kiwifruit extract Zyactinase™ were run independently of each other in China earlier this year and proved highly successful for patients with moderate to severe constipation. Zyactinase is the active ingredient in the company’s new product Phloe™ Healthy Bowel that is being launched in New Zealand this month, with plans being developed for international expansion.

Rebecca Sanders, a Business Manager with the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, says Vital Foods has taken an exemplary step in validating the science underpinning a natural health product.

"There is increasing demand in overseas markets for proof that natural products do what they claim to do. Natural does not automatically mean safe. New Zealand’s pristine environment and reputation for safety are important, but companies also need to have strong scientific evidence to meet regulatory requirements and consumer expectations.

"Vital Foods is setting an excellent example by carrying out such rigorous testing."

Around 30 per cent of New Zealanders suffer from mild or chronic constipation and the market for products that bring relief from the condition is valued at NZ$9.35 million a year.

The trials were conducted in hospitals that included a China FDA-registered human clinical trial facility, with CNAL (China National Accreditation Board for Laboratories) certification and membership of ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation). They were run through a partnership between Vital Foods, a world renowned New Zealand cell biology scientist, Dr Iona Weir, and research teams from Bioactive Research New Zealand based in New Zealand and China, and the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in China. Bioactive Research New Zealand Limited is a research centre specialising in bioactive product development and related safety and efficacy studies.

Dr Weir joined the team at Vital Foods in October 2006 as Chief Science Officer with support from the Foundation through its Technology Expert? Scheme and is responsible for the company’s science program, including the completion of the clinical trials.

Initial product safety and efficacy studies in vitro and in animals were carried out by Bioactive Research New Zealand in Auckland and Beijing, followed by the clinical trials in China.

"The results were far better than I expected," says Dr Weir. "Those taking part had a significant reduction in constipation symptoms and there were no side effects, which is a major advantage. A lot of laxatives result in diarrhoea and abdominal spasms but the Phloe product is very gentle."

"The research work showed that the prebiotics, enzymes and fibre in the product worked together to gently progress digestion."

Dr Weir plans to write up the results of the human trials to be published in medical journals internationally.

Vital Foods was founded in the early 1990s and also markets Kiwi Crush, a frozen kiwifruit juice beverage that is routinely used by hospitals as a health drink and to promote bowel regularity. The company has developed and patented technology for the extraction of ZyactinaseTM, from kiwifruit. In February 2006, the New Zealand based venture capital fund BioPacificVentures led what is now a NZ$7 million investment in Vital Foods, with co-funding from Seeka Kiwifruit Industries Ltd.

Dr Weir says the project has also demonstrated that meeting the commercial demands of a developing business requires a company to dedicate significant management and technical expertise, and that outstanding results can then be achieved by partnering with the right research organisation - in this case Bioactive Research New Zealand, led by Dr Quan Shu.

"Trials that could have taken well over a year were completed in just six months, thanks to the work done by Dr Quan Shu and his teams in New Zealand and China. The scientific rigour behind them is outstanding."

For example, she says, the toxicity testing didn’t just look at the immediate term, but also examined longer term genetic and fertility effects.

Dr Weir has a worldwide reputation for her studies in both plant and mammalian physiology. In 1997 she was named International Young Scientist of the Year in cell biology, established a bioactives screening platform for HortResearch and has extensive knowledge of kiwifruit.

Vital Foods has also created significant interest in Japan for Zyactinase powder to be used in Japanese manufactured and branded supplements.

Further Information
Trevor Wilkinson, CEO,
Vital Foods
Tel 09 275 5073
Email Trevor@vitalfoods.co.nz

Dr Iona Weir, Scientific Consultant,
Vital Foods
Tel 021 309084
Email ionaweir@clear.net.nz

David McLoughlin
Senior Communications Adviser
Foundation for Research, Science and Technology
Tel 04 917 7801
Email david.mcloughlin@frst.govt.nz