US patent #8,338,564 “validates the many years of research and development by the dedicated team of scientists and engineers behind the development of our plant sterol-based technologies", said Laura Wessman, senior VP operations of Forbes, a division of Pharmachem Laboratories Inc.
"This patent further strengthens our ability to broadly protect our proprietary technology as we develop heart healthy functional food and dietary supplement applications."
The company’s Reducol ingredient is derived from coniferous trees.
"In our research, overall findings indicate a 15.5% LDL-cholesterol reduction compared to the control group," added Wessman. "Low-fat diet alone accounted for 8.9% LDL-cholesterol reduction, hence a 'prudent' Western diet plus phytosterols brought about a decrease in total LDL cholesterol of 24.4% from baseline measurements."