NattoPharma and Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht Renew Research Partnership
12.02.20
The renewed five-year commitment kicks off with a study on the effects of severe vitamin K deficiency on COVID-19 outcomes.
NattoPharma, the makers of vitamin K2 ingredient MenaQ7, recently announced that it has renewed its research partnership with the University of Maastricht, Netherlands, which began in 2006, centered on the role of vitamin K2 in improving human health.
Thus far, the partnership has yielded successes including research grants from Horizon 2020 EU ITN EVOluTION and INTRICARE, as well as commercial success for NattoPharma’s K2 products. The renewed commitment will begin its operations with a new study aiming to demonstrate that vitamin K2 could be used to restore vascular health in COVID-19 patients, as well as optimize vascular function in a healthy population.
“Our work with Maastricht has helped us not only create the vitamin K2 category but also to keep NattoPharma on the front line of research and development,” NattoPharma CEO Kjetil Ramsøy said. “The discoveries from research continue to confirm that an adequate level of K2 guides calcium to where you need it – in your bones and teeth, and away from your arteries and blood vessels where calcification makes them stiff.”
“The work conducted in collaboration with NattoPharma will provide further research into the role of vitamin K2 concerning calcium metabolism, impacting various aspects of our health,” Leon Schurgers, professor of Biochemistry of Vascular Calcification and vice-chair of Biochemistry at the Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht (CARIM), said. There is great potential in learning how these mechanisms impact cardiovascular health, but also the implications for other systems, such as bone, cartilage, brain, and pulmonary health.”
The new study follows a preliminary finding which suggests that vitamin K status in COVID-19 patients is associated with better outcomes, NattoPharma said. The new research will further elaborate on these findings, examining the severity of vitamin K deficiency in COVID-19 patients and investigating the role of vitamin K2 for vascular health protection in a post-COVID-19 world.
“The first study represented an amazing finding, linking poor vitamin K status on COVID patients with poor prognosis,” Schurgers, co-author of the first study, said. “While we do not suggest vitamin K2 is a treatment for COVID-19, we expect this next stage of research may confirm that vitamin K2 could provide a novel solution for optimizing vascular health. Vascular health is important as this system needs to supply and support other organs, thereby improving outcomes for patients with comorbidities.”
NattoPharma’s MenaQ7 has been the source material for all clinical trials studying vitamin K2 at Maastricht University since the partnership began.
“We are grateful for our long and productive relationship with Maastricht and excited for future discoveries so we can continue translating it into our products that serve the estimated 97% of the population eating a modern diet that is deficient of this critical vitamin,” Ramsøy said.
Thus far, the partnership has yielded successes including research grants from Horizon 2020 EU ITN EVOluTION and INTRICARE, as well as commercial success for NattoPharma’s K2 products. The renewed commitment will begin its operations with a new study aiming to demonstrate that vitamin K2 could be used to restore vascular health in COVID-19 patients, as well as optimize vascular function in a healthy population.
“Our work with Maastricht has helped us not only create the vitamin K2 category but also to keep NattoPharma on the front line of research and development,” NattoPharma CEO Kjetil Ramsøy said. “The discoveries from research continue to confirm that an adequate level of K2 guides calcium to where you need it – in your bones and teeth, and away from your arteries and blood vessels where calcification makes them stiff.”
“The work conducted in collaboration with NattoPharma will provide further research into the role of vitamin K2 concerning calcium metabolism, impacting various aspects of our health,” Leon Schurgers, professor of Biochemistry of Vascular Calcification and vice-chair of Biochemistry at the Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht (CARIM), said. There is great potential in learning how these mechanisms impact cardiovascular health, but also the implications for other systems, such as bone, cartilage, brain, and pulmonary health.”
The new study follows a preliminary finding which suggests that vitamin K status in COVID-19 patients is associated with better outcomes, NattoPharma said. The new research will further elaborate on these findings, examining the severity of vitamin K deficiency in COVID-19 patients and investigating the role of vitamin K2 for vascular health protection in a post-COVID-19 world.
“The first study represented an amazing finding, linking poor vitamin K status on COVID patients with poor prognosis,” Schurgers, co-author of the first study, said. “While we do not suggest vitamin K2 is a treatment for COVID-19, we expect this next stage of research may confirm that vitamin K2 could provide a novel solution for optimizing vascular health. Vascular health is important as this system needs to supply and support other organs, thereby improving outcomes for patients with comorbidities.”
NattoPharma’s MenaQ7 has been the source material for all clinical trials studying vitamin K2 at Maastricht University since the partnership began.
“We are grateful for our long and productive relationship with Maastricht and excited for future discoveries so we can continue translating it into our products that serve the estimated 97% of the population eating a modern diet that is deficient of this critical vitamin,” Ramsøy said.
