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Pharmactive moves Affron Into mental health support
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Madrid, Spain
May 21 , 2021
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Pharmactive Biotech, S.L., is venturing into the pharmaceutical industry with its leading branded ingredients for supporting mental health. The company appointed Paul Clayton as chair of its scientific advisory board. Together with Pharmactive’s medical advisor, Carlos Galmarini, Clayton will lead this strategic move for Pharmactive.
“Both industries converge offering of support for the maintenance or improvement of health,”says Julia Diaz, head of marketing at Pharmactive.“But what if they can actually work together for the benefit of the patients and consumers? There is vast territory to explore in achieving a successful synergism of efforts by the two movements. There also is a need to address the lack of scientific knowledge about the safety of pharma and nutra combinations. It is important that both entities learn from each other in order to complement each other. To that end, Pharmactive also is working on educational initiatives to uncover the common points of interest.”
In a strategic move to secure a more “medico-centric” vision to help the pharmaceutical business providers and add greater value to its patrons, Pharmactive set up an advisory board of high-level medical science experts.
Leading is Paul Clayton, a clinical pharmacologist and pharmacological nutritionist. He is the former chair of the Forum on Food & Health (UK) and Senior Scientific Advisor to the UK government’s Committee on the Safety of Medicines. In addition to his new position at Pharmactive, he is a fellow of the Institute of Food, Brain & Behaviour (Oxford). Clayton works with leading doctors and clinical scientists at centres of clinical expertise in multiple countries, designing and supervising pre-clinical and clinical trials of pharmaco-nutritional interventions. As an advisor at Pharmactive, Clayton will support strategic product development, advise in clinical studies protocols, and provide consumer insights. “Dr. Clayton will serve as the voice of the consumer and of the nutra industry, bringing his extensive knowledge of natural botanical solutions that can influence a more prevention-focussed point of view to physicians,” adds Diaz.
Carlos Galmarini earned his medical degree from the University of Buenos Aires. He completed an internship in clinical oncology at Marie Curie Hospital, Buenos Aires, and post-doctoral fellowships in oncology at City of Hope Hospital, Los Angeles, and Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon. He earned a doctorate degree in oncology and was led research teams for Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, France. He practiced medicine at both Marie Curie Hospital and Carlos G. Durand Hospital, Buenos Aires, and held medical research positions in oncology at Rockefeller Medical School, New York, and Lyon Sud Medical School, France, where he is an associate professor.He has authored more than 120 publications.
Affron saffron to support Pharma in addressing mental health
Pharmactive is currently positioning its flagship affron branded saffron extract as a natural cognitive agent that can support and complete pharmaceutical products in addressing mental health and without negative side effects. This will also resolve some of the low adherence issues associated with more conventional approaches.
“Consumers are seeking science-supported, natural mental wellness solutions and Pharmactive can answer this demand, having already pioneered in the field,” notes Clayton.“For example, the company recently published a clinical study assessing the effect of affron when it is taken along side antidepressants.”
In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the Madrid-based company’s saffron extract demonstrated strong clinical evidence, compared to a placebo, in significantly reducing depressive symptoms in adults. The study, led by Adrian Lopresti, et al., was published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, in September 2019. Volunteers in the study consisted of adults currently taking pharmaceutical antidepressants but continued to suffer from mild-to-moderate depression.
After eight weeks of supplementation with affron, depressive symptoms were decreased by a significant 41% compared to the placebo group (21% reduction) (p=0.001). Affron was well tolerated alongside the antidepressants, and study participants reported a high satisfaction with supplement intake. More than 70% of participants said they would likely continue to take affron after the study.
“Pharmactive will present pharmaceutical companies natural solutions backed by clinical studies for supplementing medicines that support mental health as well as metabolic balance,”adds Galmarini.“Pharmactive can bring innovation, nature, and value to the table, challenging current paradigms.”
Affron secures claims approval in Japan
Approximately one in five people experience depression symptoms throughout their life. The Covid-19 era has aroused heightened awareness for mental health. During this period, Pharmactive experienced double-digit increases in sales within the Asia Pacific Market and affron was recently awarded with an approval by the Japanese Consumer Affairs Agency to make claims on its mood and sleep support activity.
According to recent Mintel data, 76% of consumers across Asia-Pacific say they are actively seeking ways to reduce stress and are taking on more proactive action to maintain and improve wellbeing.
Saffron carries a deep-rooted history as traditional natural agents for relieving anxiety and promoting rest. Affron is home grown in Pharmactive’s private fields in Spain and is manufactured using a unique proprietary Affon Cool-Tech actives-saver extraction procedure. This optimises the preservation and concentration of the key lepticrosalides active ingredients, with minimal industrial processing, no chemicals, and minimal energy use.
The extract is backed by six human clinical studies demonstrating its ability to improve mood, relieve stress, support relaxation, and enhance sleep. It is also the first saffron extract clinically studied on adolescents.
“Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly seeking innovative and natural ingredients for their produtcs and accelerating innovation in this market,” says Diaz. “Likewise, consumers are seeking science-based, natural solutions. Pharmactive can help close the gap between consumers and the pharma industry with its impressive branded botanical ingredients able to be combined with pharmaceutical products.”
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