Hofseth BioCare expands immune benefits of OmeGo, targets respiratory health category
The study, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, adds to a growing body of science supporting the potential respiratory health benefits of the salmon oil.
“We’ve already done work around the anti-allergenic effects of OmeGo,” said Dr. Crawford Currie, head of medical R&D at Hofseth BioCare and lead author on the study. There are around five fatty acids that are behind OmeGo’s anti-allergy effects, he said, and they are not EPA, DPA or DHA but instead "the non-omega fractions."
OmeGo, which Hofseth BioCare upcycles from the by-products of parent-company Hofseth International’s farmed salmon in Norway, is minimally processed with low levels of oxidation and free fatty acids. The ingredient does not undergo fractionation or concentration of the EPA and DHA omega-3s as may be performed in the production of other fish oils.
“The method of production ensures minimal oxidation, and the absence of chemical processing and high temperatures results in an extremely stable and nutritious product that exemplifies all the benefits of eating whole, fresh fish,” James Berger, chief commercial officer at Hofseth BioCare, previously told NutraIngredients. “The four-year shelf life without the need for adding antioxidants speaks volumes.”
The resulting oil is therefore not just about the EPA and DHA content but also contains a host of other fatty acids, antioxidants like astaxanthin and zeaxanthin, and select lipoproteins and other small molecules.
From hearts to lungs
OmeGo is positioned for heart, cognitive, eye and joint health, with data from Hofseth BioCare studies showing that the oil may reduce levels serum levels of oxLDL-GP, an independent biomarker of cardiovascular risk, which the company linked to its antioxidant effects, and not from the EPA and DHA fractions.
Recent research around immune support and respiratory health is creating new opportunities for the ingredient. For example, a study published in Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry indicated that OmeGo could outperform a processed cod liver oil in inhibiting the inflammatory response in animal models of asthma.
For the new study, scientists from Hofseth BioCare and Møre og Romsdal Hospital Trust in Norway turned their attention to COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) because the virus produces an imbalanced immune response and a potentially exaggerated inflammatory response. Dr. Currie noted that data from the UK biobank shows that people with higher omega-3 levels have better outcomes following infection, but data from intervention trials with omega-3 supplements have not produced the same benefits.
For their exploratory study, Dr. Currie and his co-workers recruited 11 people with mild to moderate COVID-19 and focused on gene expression of markers of immune response in their nasal mucosa, which Dr. Currie described as the “first port of call for the virus.” Subjects were randomly assigned to 28 days of the best supportive care with or without 4 g per day of OmeGo.
According to findings published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, the salmon oil provided “broad inflammation-resolving effects and improved interferon response." The results also suggest improved lung barrier function and enhanced immune memory.
“This is a really nice starting point,” Dr. Currie told us. “It’s an exploratory study with healthy people, but we can see immune system changes.”
Building on this, the company is now embarking on a much larger study with 120 urban-dwelling adults to explore the potential of OmeGo (2 and 4 g per day) to support respiratory health.
Given the issues around air quality globally, and in cities in particular, Hofseth BioCare sees respiratory health as an opportunity for differentiation in the market.
“We think we have products that should support people in the modern world,” Dr. Currie said.
Source: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
2024, 25(13), 6917; doi: 10.3390/ijms25136917
“Assessing the Potential of an Enzymatically Liberated Salmon Oil to Support Immune Health Recovery from Acute SARS-CoV-2 Infection via Change in the Expression of Cytokine, Chemokine and Interferon-Related Genes”
Authors: C. Currie et al.
