Canomiks, a biotechnology company founded by Harvard professors and scientific researchers, has launched a new testing methodology which relies on genomics and AI to validate the efficacy of functional ingredients and formulations.
 
The company is the first in the world to use genomics and AI to validate, test, and certify the biological efficacy and safety of botanical ingredients. The company provides two scientific solutions to help companies validate their products, and certifies products through its CanTRUST program and seal.
 
The company’s CanTRUST mandates reflect the vision of Leena Pradhan-Nabzdyk, PhD, MBA, an assistant professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School who co-founded the company with two Harvard colleagues.
 
“Given the sometimes-nebulous standards and oversights in the supplements industry, it’s no wonder that consumers are more discerning about their choices and deserving of unbiased and completely trustworthy product and ingredient testing information than ever before,” said Pradhan-Nabzdyk. “Our goal at Canomiks is highly ambitious but eminently achievable: to give manufacturers a seal of approval they can highlight and market, and to give consumers the tools they need to make the best purchasing choices for themselves and their loved ones. After all, a well-informed consumer is a happier and healthier consumer. We look forward to being the definitive CanTRUST resource in the industry for many years to come.”
  
Lifestyle, diet, exercise, stress, exposure to infections, and overall environment determine which genes are expressed or inhibited, influencing overall health and wellness. Canomiks’ technology focuses on understanding how botanical and functional ingredients can impact human genes associated with health outcomes.
 
The company uses genomics and AI to create customized analyses of how functional ingredients in proprietary formulations impact over 20,000 genes. This lab-based solution can identify new health indications and mechanisms of action, support existing health claims, and create deeper evidence. Companies that have their formulation certified by CanTRUST by Canomiks can bear the proprietary seal of approval.
 
Canomiks received almost $1 million in funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to use genomics and AI to create new botanical ingredient standards. The technology can test the biological effect of each ingredient and reduce challenges of batch-to-batch variation, such as new suppliers, crop strains, harvest times, or extraction methods.
 
Canomiks’ prototype of this technology used AI to comb thousands of data points to determine a standard for pure turmeric, and they can test any batch of turmeric against this standard to determine batch-by-batch quality and efficacy. The company will soon develop standards for elderberry and cranberry.