Omega-3 delivery expert Virun raises $2.1m to fund expansion plans
Founded in 2003, the California-based biotech firm is best known for its drug delivery platform, which uses natural transferrin technology to deliver drugs with increased oral bioavailability.
In the food and beverage industry, however, it is best known for developing encapsulation technologies that allow for improved absorption of non-polar or fat-soluble bioactive ingredients such as omega-3a, CoQ10, vitamin D3 and resveratrol.
Uniquely, the ingredients/excipients used to deliver these bioactives do not get into the blood, said the firm, which has attracted interest from a range of leading players in the food and beverage industry, notably Hormel Foods, which uses Virun’s technology in its FUXIONS range of ingredients, said the firm.
“Virun’s success can be attributed to its ability to partner and joint venture with a range of companies seeking differentiation in the health, energy and diet foods and beverages markets.”
A more natural means of omega-3 delivery
Historically, firms trying to incorporate long-chain omega-3s - which are prone to oxidation - in beverages have had to add ingredients to mask off-flavors, refrigerate their products, add unwanted preservatives or use detergents to reduce particle size and deliver lower turbidity, Virun CEO Philip Bromley told us in June.
“FUXIONS allows the omega-3 to be absorbed without the excipient being significantly absorbed into the body which ultimately delivers a safe, non-toxic and more natural means of omega-3 delivery.”
Click here to read about Virun’s tie up with Hormel.
