By Sheldon Baker10.01.20
Vishal Shah, director for Nutriventia, a brand of Inventia Healthcare Limited, uses his vast experience in the pharmaceutical and medical device industry to lead Nutriventia, the dietary supplements and food ingredients brand at Inventia Healthcare Limited based in Mumbai, India. He is passionate about solving problems inherent in ingredients by applying technology platforms that make it easier to deliver and enhance natural products. At Inventia, Shah is member of the board and oversees the entire operations including manufacturing and the supply chain of the pharma Oral Solid Dosage business. He draws synergies in manufacturing excellence initiatives, quality systems and supply chain best practices between pharmaceutical and nutraceutical verticals. Shah holds a degree in Biomedical Engineering and an MBA.
Health E-Insights: Share a little about the storied history of your company.
Shah: Inventia, the parent company of Nutriventia, is a three-decade young pharmaceutical company built on the ethos of developing products with our novel drug delivery platforms that provide benefit to customers and consumers. Today, Inventia supplies more than 50 countries globally and the pharmaceutical plant has been U.S. FDA approved for over 10 years, as well as approved by all major global regulatory bodies. Our growth has been driven by strong technical expertise and marketing knowledge.
Health E-Insights: Why did the company decide to expand into the nutraceutical marketplace?
Shah: We realized that our technology platforms are well-suited for many more applications beyond pharmaceuticals, namely in the nutraceutical and food ingredient categories. Our analysis of the nutraceutical market further confirmed our belief, which led to our focused activity during the past three years to develop nutraceutical and food ingredients. With our specialized technologies and the scientific research being conducted, we now offer differentiated, value-added branded ingredients suitable for a variety of applications, such as tablets, capsules, gummies, gums, beverage powders and more.
Health E-Insights: What makes your branded ingredients so special when compared to your competitors?
Shah: Our branded ingredients differ on multiple levels as solutions based on science and technology. From market experience and working with our customers we identify key challenges in currently available products. We then utilize our novel drug delivery platforms to address formulation issues and we develop scientific substantiation which offer unique claims to our customers for their products. We have a clear focus to enhance benefits for the end consumer, like converting a product that needs to be administered two-to-three times a day to a single dose, improving taste, or creating a specific delivery system. We also achieve this by avoiding harsh excipients with a focus on using clean, diet-based excipients as much as possible.
Health E-Insights: What really makes TurmXTRA different from other curcumin ingredients?
Shah: From the onset, our goal was to create a differentiated product. We designed TurmXTRA as a solution to address issues that plague currently available turmeric extract ingredients. For example, water dispersibility. Most water dispersible ingredients have a low curcuminoid content, generally 6% to 20%, which is the active ingredient and hence they contain more excipient than active. TurmXTRA on the other hand has 60% curcuminoids. Another issue that we wanted to tackle was that most water dispersible turmeric ingredients contain synthetic, sometimes harsh excipients. TurmXTRA contains only diet sourced excipients. In addition, most ingredients require organic solvents in their manufacturing process. TurmXTRA is manufactured using a solvent-free process. The most significant difference is that TurmXTRA is a low-dose, bioavailable turmeric ingredient with clinical validation demonstrating plasma bioequivalence of curcuminoids with a dose of 250 mg of TurmXTRA compared to a 1,575 mg dose of standard turmeric extract. From a consumer view this means one pill vs. three.
Health E-Insights: Have you conducted your own studies on TurmXTRA? What have those studies shown?
Shah: We have completed preclinical research and two human pharmacokinetic studies on TurmXTRA. There is an ongoing randomized clinical trial study in healthy volunteers which is expected to be completed by the end of 2020. Additional clinical studies are planned. Our goal is to provide clinical substantiation to provide our customers with timely and relevant claims.
Health E-Insights: At the end of the day, is there consumer demand for yet another curcumin ingredient?
Shah: We believe there is a significant demand for a suitably differentiated curcumin product such as TurmXTRA which provides substantial benefit to consumers
Health E-Insights: Is TurmXTRA GRAS for use in food formulations? What other certifications does it carry?
Shah: Yes, TurmXTRA has self-affirmed GRAS status. In addition, TurmXTRA is Halal and Kosher certified, manufactured under cGMP and is backed by a quality management system which has been validated by numerous health regulatory authorities from across the world including U.S. FDA, Korean FDA, MHRA, TGA, and a host of others.
Health E-Insights: Your focus has been branded clinically validated ingredients. Why would you enter a product category with C-Fence as commoditized as vitamin C?
Shah: Certainly, vitamin C is a highly commoditized product. By utilizing our technology, Nutriventia provides a true benefit to both the manufacturer and the consumer. The manufacturer saves time and money with drum-to-hopper sustained-release C-Fence and the consumer is offered a convenient one-pill daily dose providing a steady release of vitamin C for antioxidant and immune benefits. A strong scientific rationale exists to support our unique product formulation. As everyone is no doubt aware, vitamin C functions as a potent antioxidant on account of its ability to scavenge free radicals. Free radicals and other toxins are a byproduct of various body functions. So, there is a continuous creation of free radicals and oxidative stress that needs to be addressed with a continuous supply of vitamin C 24 hours a day. Consumers also feel they must take a large dose for a better effect, but excess vitamin C is quickly absorbed, distributed and excreted from the body if there is no immediate need. There is a specific level of vitamin C associated with homeostasis and protection, which can be achieved with C-Fence. So, saying large doses are literally going down the toilet would not be incorrect. Nutriventia provides a superior, tested controlled release vitamin C for both manufacturer and consumer confidence.
Health E-Insight: What impact do you expect this ingredient will have in the vitamin C arena?
Shah: It is our belief that our presence and communication in this space would lead to a great deal of awareness and education that would allow the market to grow toward more quality products, which would be beneficial for consumers. This in turn would prompt others in the industry to invest in research and science to further grow the segment. Thus, our presence in this category not only benefits us as an organization but helps promote the entire vitamin C arena. We also feel the message and work we are developing with C-Fence will help increase the awareness of the need for a more effective vitamin C.
Health E-Insights: What is one key message you want your prospective customer to know about Nutriventia?
Shah: Nutriventia’s technology platforms allow us to create differentiated ingredient solutions to enable brands to offer consumers benefits such as smaller pill size with reduced doses. In addition to work we have done with TurmXTRA, Nutriventia also addresses benefits for product handling that directly impact manufacturing costs, therefore improving profitability. unstain non-staining turmeric extract, for example, provides 95% curcuminoids like any standard turmeric extract, but is in a convenient and easy to use granular format which reduces dust and the staining of production plants while manufacturing curcumin-based formulations. This could result in considerable savings in manpower and water consumption. Hence, not only is unstain more cost effective, but also sustainable and eco-friendly. Nutriventia provides innovative ingredient solutions through our extensive technical expertise and scientific research to enable brands to bring a variety of finished formulations and claims to the market. Nutriventia focuses on customer needs and we welcome individual discussions about current challenges faced by manufacturers on which we may collaborate to develop a solution. Anyone interested can contact Nutriventia through at www.nutriventia.com or email us at info@nutriventia.com.
Sheldon Baker is a senior member of Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical brand marketing communications and public relations campaigns for many well-known supplement and food industry companies. For Health E-Insights interview consideration or brand marketing consulting, contact him at SBaker@BakerDillon.com.
Health E-Insights: Share a little about the storied history of your company.
Shah: Inventia, the parent company of Nutriventia, is a three-decade young pharmaceutical company built on the ethos of developing products with our novel drug delivery platforms that provide benefit to customers and consumers. Today, Inventia supplies more than 50 countries globally and the pharmaceutical plant has been U.S. FDA approved for over 10 years, as well as approved by all major global regulatory bodies. Our growth has been driven by strong technical expertise and marketing knowledge.
Health E-Insights: Why did the company decide to expand into the nutraceutical marketplace?
Shah: We realized that our technology platforms are well-suited for many more applications beyond pharmaceuticals, namely in the nutraceutical and food ingredient categories. Our analysis of the nutraceutical market further confirmed our belief, which led to our focused activity during the past three years to develop nutraceutical and food ingredients. With our specialized technologies and the scientific research being conducted, we now offer differentiated, value-added branded ingredients suitable for a variety of applications, such as tablets, capsules, gummies, gums, beverage powders and more.
Health E-Insights: What makes your branded ingredients so special when compared to your competitors?
Shah: Our branded ingredients differ on multiple levels as solutions based on science and technology. From market experience and working with our customers we identify key challenges in currently available products. We then utilize our novel drug delivery platforms to address formulation issues and we develop scientific substantiation which offer unique claims to our customers for their products. We have a clear focus to enhance benefits for the end consumer, like converting a product that needs to be administered two-to-three times a day to a single dose, improving taste, or creating a specific delivery system. We also achieve this by avoiding harsh excipients with a focus on using clean, diet-based excipients as much as possible.
Health E-Insights: What really makes TurmXTRA different from other curcumin ingredients?
Shah: From the onset, our goal was to create a differentiated product. We designed TurmXTRA as a solution to address issues that plague currently available turmeric extract ingredients. For example, water dispersibility. Most water dispersible ingredients have a low curcuminoid content, generally 6% to 20%, which is the active ingredient and hence they contain more excipient than active. TurmXTRA on the other hand has 60% curcuminoids. Another issue that we wanted to tackle was that most water dispersible turmeric ingredients contain synthetic, sometimes harsh excipients. TurmXTRA contains only diet sourced excipients. In addition, most ingredients require organic solvents in their manufacturing process. TurmXTRA is manufactured using a solvent-free process. The most significant difference is that TurmXTRA is a low-dose, bioavailable turmeric ingredient with clinical validation demonstrating plasma bioequivalence of curcuminoids with a dose of 250 mg of TurmXTRA compared to a 1,575 mg dose of standard turmeric extract. From a consumer view this means one pill vs. three.
Health E-Insights: Have you conducted your own studies on TurmXTRA? What have those studies shown?
Shah: We have completed preclinical research and two human pharmacokinetic studies on TurmXTRA. There is an ongoing randomized clinical trial study in healthy volunteers which is expected to be completed by the end of 2020. Additional clinical studies are planned. Our goal is to provide clinical substantiation to provide our customers with timely and relevant claims.
Health E-Insights: At the end of the day, is there consumer demand for yet another curcumin ingredient?
Shah: We believe there is a significant demand for a suitably differentiated curcumin product such as TurmXTRA which provides substantial benefit to consumers
Health E-Insights: Is TurmXTRA GRAS for use in food formulations? What other certifications does it carry?
Shah: Yes, TurmXTRA has self-affirmed GRAS status. In addition, TurmXTRA is Halal and Kosher certified, manufactured under cGMP and is backed by a quality management system which has been validated by numerous health regulatory authorities from across the world including U.S. FDA, Korean FDA, MHRA, TGA, and a host of others.
Health E-Insights: Your focus has been branded clinically validated ingredients. Why would you enter a product category with C-Fence as commoditized as vitamin C?
Shah: Certainly, vitamin C is a highly commoditized product. By utilizing our technology, Nutriventia provides a true benefit to both the manufacturer and the consumer. The manufacturer saves time and money with drum-to-hopper sustained-release C-Fence and the consumer is offered a convenient one-pill daily dose providing a steady release of vitamin C for antioxidant and immune benefits. A strong scientific rationale exists to support our unique product formulation. As everyone is no doubt aware, vitamin C functions as a potent antioxidant on account of its ability to scavenge free radicals. Free radicals and other toxins are a byproduct of various body functions. So, there is a continuous creation of free radicals and oxidative stress that needs to be addressed with a continuous supply of vitamin C 24 hours a day. Consumers also feel they must take a large dose for a better effect, but excess vitamin C is quickly absorbed, distributed and excreted from the body if there is no immediate need. There is a specific level of vitamin C associated with homeostasis and protection, which can be achieved with C-Fence. So, saying large doses are literally going down the toilet would not be incorrect. Nutriventia provides a superior, tested controlled release vitamin C for both manufacturer and consumer confidence.
Health E-Insight: What impact do you expect this ingredient will have in the vitamin C arena?
Shah: It is our belief that our presence and communication in this space would lead to a great deal of awareness and education that would allow the market to grow toward more quality products, which would be beneficial for consumers. This in turn would prompt others in the industry to invest in research and science to further grow the segment. Thus, our presence in this category not only benefits us as an organization but helps promote the entire vitamin C arena. We also feel the message and work we are developing with C-Fence will help increase the awareness of the need for a more effective vitamin C.
Health E-Insights: What is one key message you want your prospective customer to know about Nutriventia?
Shah: Nutriventia’s technology platforms allow us to create differentiated ingredient solutions to enable brands to offer consumers benefits such as smaller pill size with reduced doses. In addition to work we have done with TurmXTRA, Nutriventia also addresses benefits for product handling that directly impact manufacturing costs, therefore improving profitability. unstain non-staining turmeric extract, for example, provides 95% curcuminoids like any standard turmeric extract, but is in a convenient and easy to use granular format which reduces dust and the staining of production plants while manufacturing curcumin-based formulations. This could result in considerable savings in manpower and water consumption. Hence, not only is unstain more cost effective, but also sustainable and eco-friendly. Nutriventia provides innovative ingredient solutions through our extensive technical expertise and scientific research to enable brands to bring a variety of finished formulations and claims to the market. Nutriventia focuses on customer needs and we welcome individual discussions about current challenges faced by manufacturers on which we may collaborate to develop a solution. Anyone interested can contact Nutriventia through at www.nutriventia.com or email us at info@nutriventia.com.
Sheldon Baker is a senior member of Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical brand marketing communications and public relations campaigns for many well-known supplement and food industry companies. For Health E-Insights interview consideration or brand marketing consulting, contact him at SBaker@BakerDillon.com.
