NattoPharma Seconds Mintel's Take on K2 Market

OLSO, NorwayMintel's recent release of positive market trend data around the growth of finished products containing vitamin K2 bodes well for companies looking to develop new foods, beverages and dietary supplements, according to NattoPharma ASA, a supplier of vitamin K2 as menaquinone-7 (MK-7) under the MenaQ7® brand.

As reported by Food Product Design, Mintel found new product launches containing vitamin K2 have almost doubled (up 183 percent) globally over the past five years. Within recent food and drink launches containing vitamin K2, the most active categories are vitamins and dietary supplements, which accounted for the majority (76 percent) of new product launches globally in 2012, followed by baby formula (6 percent), beverage mixes (6 percent), flavored milk (6 percent) and soy-based drinks (6 percent).

Eric Anderson, global vice president, sales and marketing for NattoPharma, said he was pleased Mintel focused on vitamin K2 in its five-year research, and believes it will help spur innovative K2-containing product launches. "Our commitment to investment in research, to validating our product with human research, and our efforts to build knowledge and awareness allow us to offer the optimal natural vitamin K2 to the market," he said

In response to the greater interest for supplemental vitamin K2, NattoPharma recently developed a technology to obtain vitamin K2 raw material through the creation of a pure and natural MK-7 ingredient in the form of MK-7 crystals (MenaQ7®Crystals). Vladimir Badmaev, M.D., Ph.D., NattoPharma's head of research and development explained: "The significant technological breakthrough arrived with development of a multistep process of purification, condensation and crystallization of fermentation-derived K2. The menaquinone-7 is prepared by submerged fermentation using B. licheniformis ... The menaquinone-7 is extracted in vegetable oil and subject to process of purification, concentration and crystallization to obtain the MenaQ7®Crystals." According to Badmaev, the resulting product is characterized by no less than 95-percent content of only trans- MK-7 with less than 0.5-percent MK-6; no other detectable menaquinones; solvent under the detectable levels; and an improved stability profile in storage and in finished products.

NattoPharma has also supported two recent trials. The first, presented in May 2013 at the 50th ERA-EDTA Congress in Istanbul, examined the cardiovascular effects of oral administration of vitamin K2 (MenaQ7®) plus vitamin D or vitamin D alone in patients with chronic renal disease. Over a six-month trial period, the progression of coronary artery calcification index (CAC) and common carotid intima media thickness (CCA-IMT) showed a slower progression of the calcification in the vitamin K2/vitamin D group than detected in the vitamin D-alone group.

An abstract from the second trial was presented at the 13th International Nutrition and Diagnostics Conference (INDC 2013) Olomouc, Czech Republic, in August 2013. In this trial, MK-7 (as MenaQ7®Crystals) prevented inflammation by inhibiting pro-inflammatory markers produced by monocytes. "Our study may provide an additional explanation about the role and impact of inflammation and preventing inflammation with vitamin K2 as an important mechanism in sustaining health and preventing disease," Badmaev said.