Nutrition 21, Purchase, NY, has acquired patents covering drugs consisting of chromium and an anti-depressant. Initial studies demonstrate that chromium increases the effectiveness of antidepressants in relieving the symptoms of depression (U.S. Patent No. 5,898,036) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) (U.S. Patent No. 5,877, 171).

In other developments, the company has received a U.S. patent (No. 6,344,444 B1) for the use of an arginine silicate inositol complex as a dietary supplement to promote bone and cartilage formation, to increase bone density and to promote the healing of bone fractures.