Valensa International (Orlando, FL USA) announced today that it has initiated a broad out licensing effort for University of Illinois patent (US 5,527,533 and its foreign equivalents) for the use of the astaxanthin in eye healthcare dietary supplement applications. FutureBiotics (NY, USA), Swanson Health Products (ND, USA) and Life Extension Vitamins (AZ, USA) have each acquired licenses for the use of the Valensa astaxanthin patent. The patent covers the use of astaxanthin as a dietary supplement for amelioration of free radical- and light-induced retinal damage, age-related macular degeneration, photoreceptor cell retinal damage and damage to neurons of inner retinal layers, among other claims. Licensing agreements feature the use of Valensa's Zanthin(R) natural astaxanthin extract - a proprietary formulation of microalgae extracted using ultra-high pressure supercritical CO2 in an allergen-free certified organic facility in Florida, protected with Valensa's state-of-the art O2B(TM) stabilization technology, with the final product ensuring efficacy with a 4-year shelf life. Valensa, the only full-integrated supplier of astaxanthin extract in the United States, has been a leader in acquiring regulatory approvals for its astaxanthin product in the United States and Europe. Valensa also recently announced that it is working on eye health formulations that incorporate both Zanthin(R) natural astaxanthin and Neptune Technologies & Bioressources' advanced Omega-3 ingredient, NKO(R) Krill Oil.
According to Dr. Rudi E. Moerck, President & CEO of Valensa, the availability of efficacious, proven eye health support is at the top of the list of health concerns of a growing segment of the global population. "Eye health is a major concern for aging baby boomer populations of the United States, Europe and parts of Asia. Today, nearly 30% of Americans over the age of 55 suffer from visual impairment due to age-related eye health disorders - primarily cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) - both of which are primary causes of blindness," he said. "While lutein and zeaxanthin are often promoted as leading eye health supplement ingredients, numerous scientific studies have shown that astaxanthin is by far the most effective carotenoid in addressing the free-radical and light-induced singlet oxygen damage associated with visual impairment. With its ability to cross the blood-brain/blood-eye barriers and to concentrate in the central cones of the retinal macula, astaxanthin is now emerging as the pre-eminent solution for eye healthcare supplementation in the management of retinal oxidative stress that would lead to macular degeneration," he added.
Making the Eye-Health Claim with Astaxanthin