12.16.20
The future of extracting marine lipids for nutritional purposes seems as though it will be defined by more than just the standard EPA and DHA, according to new research initiatives. Epax, a company specializing in marine lipids such as omega-3 fatty acids, was recently awarded a grant of over $900,000 to research the potential of “new” marine fatty acids for human health.
The Norwegian supplier specializes in a wide range of omega-3 products with different concentrations of EPA and DHA. However, in recent years, the company has been seeking to identify, analyze, and learn how to concentrate less well-known fatty acids present in marine oils.
The company has received a Norwegian Research Council award of eight million Norwegian Kroner (approximately $918,000 USD), which will be awarded over four years. This will help the company conduct further biological research into the benefits of “new” omega-3 fatty acids in areas such as brain health, eye health, skin health, and fertility.
Epax reports that it has already provided test materials for pre-clinical research to universities and other research institutions with which it has partnered, setting the stage for later clinical trials. The research institute Nofima is a project partner, and the research is linked to an Epax-sponsored PhD, with the first scientific publication slated for 2021.
Ultimately, this research will be the foundation for the company’s development of the first products in the company’s new line of Epax NovusLipid products, which are currently in development.
“There are thousands of papers and clinical studies demonstrating the health benefits of marine lipids. Most of these have focused on the well-known omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, but there are more than 30 different fatty acids that occur naturally in marine oils. In recent years, Epax has worked to expand understanding of these sometimes overlooked nutrients and to unlock their potential for human health. This award from the Norwegian Research Council is an endorsement of our vision. We’re honored to receive it and excited to start exploring the opportunities it offers.”
The Norwegian supplier specializes in a wide range of omega-3 products with different concentrations of EPA and DHA. However, in recent years, the company has been seeking to identify, analyze, and learn how to concentrate less well-known fatty acids present in marine oils.
The company has received a Norwegian Research Council award of eight million Norwegian Kroner (approximately $918,000 USD), which will be awarded over four years. This will help the company conduct further biological research into the benefits of “new” omega-3 fatty acids in areas such as brain health, eye health, skin health, and fertility.
Epax reports that it has already provided test materials for pre-clinical research to universities and other research institutions with which it has partnered, setting the stage for later clinical trials. The research institute Nofima is a project partner, and the research is linked to an Epax-sponsored PhD, with the first scientific publication slated for 2021.
Ultimately, this research will be the foundation for the company’s development of the first products in the company’s new line of Epax NovusLipid products, which are currently in development.
“There are thousands of papers and clinical studies demonstrating the health benefits of marine lipids. Most of these have focused on the well-known omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, but there are more than 30 different fatty acids that occur naturally in marine oils. In recent years, Epax has worked to expand understanding of these sometimes overlooked nutrients and to unlock their potential for human health. This award from the Norwegian Research Council is an endorsement of our vision. We’re honored to receive it and excited to start exploring the opportunities it offers.”
