Novartis Options Cholesterol-Lowering Food Additive

Novartis has paid Forbes Medi-Tech for the exclusive option to a worldwide license to use or sub-license its plant-based sterol composition (FCP) for use in nutritional products. FCP, a potential functional food ingredient for lowering cholesterol, is extracted during the wood pulping process. Tall oil soap, a forest by-product, is converted into plant sterols through a simple fermentation process. Plant sterols have been proven to have cholesterol-lowering properties, with a level of safety not found in the more common synthetic compounds.

FCP, which stands for Forbes Composition Phytosterols, acts primarily by preventing cholesterol absorption into the bloodstream. Recent initial clinical studies have shown a very promising reduction in both total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.

Thomas Ebeling, head of Novartis Nutrition worldwide, commented: "This agreement is just a first step in pursuing our science-based nutrition strategy. Once developed with scientifically proven benefits and supported by appropriate marketing, FCP could be a major breakthrough in the high-potential area of functional foods".

But Novartis is not alone in developing a cholesterol-lowering food ingredient. Last November Johnson & Johnson was granted the worldwide marketing rights to Benecol, a cholesterol cutting product developed by Raisio Group in Finland. [See "Tall Oil Derivative Bids for a Place in Cholesterol-Lowering Foods" in the Feature Articles section of FoodOnline.] Benecol margarine has been sold in Finland since 1995 and has captured nearly three percent of Finland's margarine market. Like FCP, Benecol's dietary ingredient sitostanol is made from a phytosterol derived from pine trees. Fat-soluble stanol can be used in any foods containing fat, such as chocolate, yogurt, ice cream, salad dressing, or mayonnaise. Both companies are looking for food products beyond margarine to serve as "carriers" for their dietary ingredient. A Benecol product is scheduled to hit the U.S. market by late this year.

The Novartis/Forbes Medi-Tech deal indicates there will be more than one contender for this new nutraceutical niche. And while they are banking on Benecol's success in Finland, both Novartis and Johnson and Johnson know that success here depends on consumer acceptance of these "functional" foods.

Novartis Nutrition develops, manufactures, and markets a range of value-added specialized health and medical nutrition products, and is owner of U.S. infant and baby nutrition brand, Gerber.

Forbes Medi-Tech is a publicly traded Vancouver-based bio-technology company dedicated to research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products derived from forest industry by-products.