Neptune tackles dyslipidemia in risk-benefit analysis
population-based risk-benefit analysis for its proprietary Neptune
krill oil (NKO) and the management of dyslipidemia.
NKO is derived from the planktonic family of crustaceans and, like omega-3, is rich in phospholipids and antioxidants. Dyslipidemia is the elevation of lipids in the blood. It is associated with increased "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and a decreased "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
The Canadian manufacturer expects the study to demonstrate a low risk-benefit ratio for NKO that facilitates risk management for patients with dyslipidemia, with an eye to playing a role in heart disease prevention.
Managing dyslipidemia is linked to preventing cardiovascular disease. Low levels of HDL cholesterol present a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, according to Neptune, treatments that reduce LDL and increase HDL are much more effective in preventing cardiovascular disease when compared to those that only reduce LDL.
"Unfortunately recently developed products that achieve both HDL increase and LDL reduction have been associated with a significant risk for serious side effects and hence are not appropriate for use by humans due to safety concerns,"said Dr. Tina Sampalis, vice-president R&D and business development at Neptune. "The risk-benefit ratio for these treatments is too high to support their approval and use in the long-term care."
NKO was first launched to the US dietary supplements market in 2003, but company has not yet emerged from the commercialization stage into profitability. Nonetheless, the signals are positive and it seems more and more people are getting know about NKO.
Neptune uses a cold-processing technological platform to extract an oil from krill (a planktonic family of crustaceans), that is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, phospholipids and antioxidants. It also offers a marine protein concentrate called Neptune Krill Aquatein that boasts over 80 per cent purity and contains a mix of amino acids, digestive enzymes, and peptides.
"We have repeatedly demonstrated the safety of NKO for chronic use and we are confident that these analyses will further validate our findings," said Dr. Sampalis.
