Ultrasome-CoQ10 powder, which uses proprietary technology called Emulsome to increase its dispersion rate, was tested on end-stage heart failure patients awaiting cardiac transplantation by researchers at the Rabin Medical Center and Sorasky Medical Center, both affiliated with Tel-Aviv University's medical department.
The results, published in the May issue of Clinical Cardiology (27,295-299), show that significantly smaller doses than normally used on such patients helped improve the patients' conditions.
The superior bioavailability to CoQ10 is particularly important given the current shortage of CoQ10 worldwide according to Herbamed, a new player on the booming CoQ10 market.
Biosynthesis of CoQ10, naturally produced by the body, begins to drop after the age of about 20, leading to its investigation in age-related disease. Research demonstrating that it could help prevent Parkinson's has significantly boosted demand and consumers are increasingly using higher doses.
Along with sales to the cosmetic market, (it is thought to prevent damage to collagen and elastin production, stopping wrinkles) sales of CoQ10 are now thought to exceed $200 million across the US. But the biggest producers of the product, mainly in Japan, have struggled to meet demand.
Japan's Kaneka Corporation, which supplies between 60-70 per cent of CoQ10 sold in the US, said last year it would expand its facilities to double yearly production of the natural supplement to meet this demand, while Chinese firm Xi'an Haotian Bioegineering has entered into an agreement with US-based Rennaissance Herbs to sell 23,000kg of CoQ10 in the US and Europe between March and December of this year.
The new study on Ultrasome could give it an advantage as prices for CoQ10 continue to soar - they are currently at around $2500-3000 per kg, up from $1400 per kg last year.
"Previous studies on elderly patients, who tend to have poor absorption capabilities, have shown this ingredient to be almost three times more bioavailable than generic CoQ10. In this study only 60mg of active CoQ10 in the Ultrasome formulation were given to these severe patients," said Avraham Landa, general manager of Herbamed. "This compares to around 300-400 mg normally required to see benefits in surgery patients."
In the prospective, double-blind study, 32 patients awaiting heart transplantation were randomly allocated to receive either 60mg daily of Ultrasome CoQ10 or a placebo for three months. All patients continued their regular medication.
Among the twenty-seven patients who completed the study, the Ultrasome group showed significant improvement in a six-minute walk test and a decrease in dyspnea, New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, nocturia, and fatigue, compared to the placebo group.
The authors recommended that Ultrasome-CoQ10 may serve as an optional addition to range of treatments for patients with end-stage heart failure.
Ultrasome-CoQ10, available in bulk powder, was launched on the European market last year and has seen 'sparkles of success' in supplement products in Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain and the US.
Its properties make it highly versatile - Herbamed claims it achieves 100 per cent dissolution - allowing manufacturers to formulate the ingredient in capsules and tablets, but also in liquids and foods, making it suitable for an emerging functional foods category. A US firm is currently working on a pilot beverage product containing the ingredient.
"This product will give supplement makers a proprietary product that is backed by four US patents (for oral, dermal and intravenous applications)," said Landa. "Our partners clearly need to use strong marketing to communicate the bioavailability to the consumer but the ingredient is not more expensive when based on consumption levels."
"We also have a nice package of clinical trials backing the product," he added.
The Ultrasome (Emulsome) drug delivery technology can also be adapted for other ingredients that are not water-soluble. Herbamed says new products based on the technology could be ready in the next six months. It is also looking to collaborate with partners or license the technology to other supplement makers.
"We would like to create a new class of nutraceuticals based on this technology," said Landa.