LHC Acquires OMNIABIOS to Strengthen its Position in Nutritional and Health Ingredients
07 Mar 2014 --- Lesaffre Human Care (LHC), which specializes in the area of human health and nutrition, has acquired the Italian company, Omniabios, an expert in producing the molecule S-Adenosyl-L-methionine, known as SAM-e.
To explain why LHC made this acquisition, a spokesman for the company explained that LHC wanted to grow more quickly in the area of Health Ingredients, with a strong link to Biotechnology, and if possible, yeast. Omniabios produces its SAM-e using a raw material from the yeast industry, which is a natural fit with LHC.
SAM-e also fits perfectly well with LHC’s existing worldwide sale channels and customer bases as it can be sold in the Business-to-Business market to both dietary supplement producers that make products containing SAM-e and pharmaceutical companies that produce medication containing SAM-e. Omniabios has the GMP certificate for producing SAM-e as an API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient).
This will allow LHC to strengthen its position in the production of pharmaceutical ingredients, which is consistent with LHC’s strategy. For all these reasons, SAM-e was the right solution for enlarging its product line, the company said. S-adenosyl-L-methionine is a naturally occurring molecule, found throughout the body.
This important metabolite SAM-e was discovered by Italian researchers in 1952. Since then, numerous studies have demonstrated its benefits in Depression and Osteoarthritis. It has been used for two decades in Europe to treat osteoarthritis. About 22 000 arthritis patients have participated in studies comparing SAM-e to placebo or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).
Depending on the country, SAM-e is considered as a dietary supplement, and is sold in natural products/health food stores without prescription; or as a medical treatment, sold in pharmacies under a medical prescription.
Since 2007, LHC’s main mission has been to develop and sell nutrition and health ingredients derived from yeast, under the brand Lynside, to the Food/Dietary Supplement, Nutrition and Functional Food businesses. Its main ingredients are inactive dried yeasts, as a powder or flakes, formulated for their protein/fiber and B complex vitamin contents. LHC’s Selenium Yeast assures the anti-oxidation benefits of Selenium with safety and very good bioavailability. The company says it also offers probiotic yeasts such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. boulardii.
In 2011, LHC launched a new proprietary and patented probiotic Yeast, Lynside Pro GI +, which can increase Gut Comfort in an IBS population. The latest placebo controlled clinical trial using 400 subjects confirmed our previous study and showed significant results. In 2012 we launched a new brand called Probisis for probiotic bacteria, with Probisis BS, being a spore forming bacteria that focuses on Immunity, and Probisis LRGG, being a non-spore forming lactic acid bacterium.
“In 2013, we finalized a strategic plan that resulted in an ambitious growth strategy for enlarging LHC’s ingredient range, based on microorganisms and biotechnology, for the nutrition, health and beauty market. In that context, we are proud to announce the acquisition of Omniabios,” the company write.
By Sonya Hook
