BASF and Xerion partner to advance personalized nutrition in Asia Pacific

Melbourne, Australia and Singapore – June 14, 2018 – BASF and Xerion have entered into a three-year agreement to take personalized nutrition to the next level in Asia Pacific. In this collaboration, BASF’s human nutrition brand, Newtrition®, will have the exclusive distribution rights to market PUFAcoatTM Omega-3 Index test kits, Xerion’s proprietary dried blood spot technology.

One of the major limitations in ascertaining omega-3 levels in populations is the difficulty in stabilizing long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids prior to analysis. Xerion’s technology stabilizes eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on a solid matrix for up to nine weeks at room temperature and up to two weeks at 40 degrees Celsius, allowing for highly accurate readings. The technology has been successfully used in numerous clinical trials worldwide and these kits can provide personalized fatty acid profiling directly to consumers in major supplement markets initially covering China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

“BASF has consistently demonstrated leadership and dedication to personalized nutrition with strategic partners who share the same vision to deliver the right nutrients to the right people at the right time, while meeting consumer needs. Partnerships are central to our personalized nutrition strategy and this collaboration with Xerion reinforces BASF’s commitment to personalized nutrition,” said François Scheffler, Senior Vice President, BASF Global Human Nutrition. “PUFAcoat is an important innovation designed to improve the omega-3 index deficit and advance personalized nutrition in Asia Pacific and globally.”
 

The omega-3 index is defined as the total concentration of EPA and DHA in red blood cells, expressed as a percent of total fatty acid content. It was developed in 2011 by Professor William Harris and Professor Clemens von Schacky as one of the key biomarkers in tracking cardiovascular health. Globally, more than 17 million deaths a year are caused by cardiovascular disease, thus making it a key concern for consumers worldwide ¹.
 

Xerion’s technology allows for highly accurate readings of omega-3 index, empowering consumers to make informed choices on improving their omega-3 levels by increasing their intake through food or supplements.
 

“We believe that partnering the PUFAcoat technology with BASF, a global leader in human nutrition, is the fastest way to address this omega-3 deficit,” said Daniel Goldman, Managing Director of Xerion Limited.
 

Strong scientific evidence supports the benefits of dietary EPA and DHA for maintaining and optimizing heart and metabolic health. In particular, having a higher omega-3 index has been associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular events. Knowing an individual’s omega-3 levels is, therefore, fundamental to reaching the optimal concentration in the body by increasing the intake of omega-3, and thus improving cardiovascular health. 
 

Despite being supported by robust scientific research, the omega-3 index in many parts of the world, including countries in Asia Pacific, remains low at less than 6% ². An index greater than 8% is regarded as optimal, with strong correlation to lower cardiovascular risk.

 

The collaboration between BASF’s Newtrition brand and Xerion adds to BASF’s strong scientific know-how and innovation capabilities in omega-3 to remain at the forefront of personalized nutrition. For more information, go to https://www.getmoreomega3.com

 

¹Mozaffarian et al. 2016 Circulation 133: e38

²Stark et al. 2016 Progress in Lipid Research 63: 132-152

 

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The more than 115,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of €64.5 billion in 2017. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.

 

About Xerion Limited

Xerion Limited is a consumer healthcare company focused on revolutionizing standard of care in dermatology through the development and commercialization of innovative therapies and diagnostics. Xerion Limited has the exclusive commercial license to the PUFAcoatTM technology developed by Professor Robert Gibson and Dr Ge Liu of the School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide. The technology allows simple, accessible, personalized determination of an individual’s fatty acid profile to help improve their health and achieve their wellness goals. Further information at www.xerion.com.au. PUFAcoat is a trademark owned by the University of Adelaide.