June 14, 2018 — BASF and Xerion Ltd. sign a three-year agreement to take precision nutrition in the Asia Pacific region to new heights. In this collaboration, Mrs. Bath's Newtrition® brand will receive exclusive distribution rights for Xerion's exclusive Dry Blood Spot Technology PUFAcoatTM Omega-3 Index Test Kit.
Obtaining the Omega-3 index is mainly limited by the difficulty of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids to be stored stably before the analysis is completed. Xerion's PUFAcoat dry blood spot technology can fix eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on its unique test paper after blood sampling through fingertip puncture, which can be stored at room temperature Nine weeks, can be stored for two weeks at 40 degrees Celsius to ensure accurate readings. This technology has been successfully used in many clinical trials worldwide. This test kit can provide accurate fatty acid analysis directly to consumers in major supplement markets such as China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
François Scheffler, senior vice president of global nutrition for Mrs. Bath, said: "BASF will, as always, lead and invest in the field of precision nutrition with strategic partners who share the common vision of" Time and People, Precision Nutrition ". As our duty, the establishment of a partnership is the core of BASF ’s precision nutrition strategy. This cooperation with Xerion will further fulfill BASF ’s commitment to precision nutrition. PUFAcoat is an important innovative technology designed to improve the Omega-3 index The low issue further promotes the development of precision nutrition in the Asia-Pacific region and even the world. "
The Omega-3 index refers to the total concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in red blood cells, expressed as a percentage of the total fatty acid content. It was developed by Professor William Harris and Professor Clemens von Schacky in 2011 and is one of the key biological indicators for tracking cardiovascular health. Globally, about 17 million people die of cardiovascular disease each year, which also makes them the focus of global consumers1.
Xerion's patented technology enables highly accurate Omega-3 index testing, enabling consumers to make a clear choice to increase Omega-3 intake through food or supplements, thereby improving their Omega-3 levels.
"We believe that working with BASF, the global leader in the human nutrition industry on PUFAcoat technology, is the fastest way to address the lack of Omega-3," said Daniel Goldman, Managing Director of Xerion Ltd.
Scientific research has strongly confirmed the benefits of dietary EPA and DHA in maintaining and improving heart function and metabolic health. Of particular note is that a higher Omega-3 index has been closely linked to reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems. Therefore, knowing an individual's Omega-3 levels is critical to increasing Omega-3 intake to reach its optimal concentration in the human body to promote cardiovascular health.
Although the importance of the Omega-3 index has been strongly supported by scientific research, the Omega-3 index is still generally below 6% for the population of many regions of the world, including countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The best level is when the Omega-3 index is higher than 8%, which is closely related to the lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
The cooperation between BASF's Newtrition® brand and Xerion further expands BASF's strong technical knowledge and innovation capabilities in the Omega-3 field, and strengthens its leading position in the field of precision nutrition.