In the News

Kyowa Hakko Acclaimed by Frost & Sullivan for its Non-GMO, Allergen-free, Immune Support Paraprobiotic Ingredient, IMMUSE™

Organic & Natural Health Association to Host Fundraiser Supporting HBCU Students Interested in Natural Health Careers at SupplySide West

The Functional Medicine Event of the Year!

Aviv Clinics Revolutionizes Post Stroke Treatments

Emerson Ecologics Launches Wellevate® Labs, New Comprehensive Clinical Laboratory Service

Kyowa Hakko Acclaimed by Frost & Sullivan for its Non-GMO, Allergen-free, Immune Support Paraprobiotic Ingredient, IMMUSE™

Based on its recent analysis of the North American immune health ingredient market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Kyowa Hakko USA, Inc. (Kyowa Hakko) with the 2021 North American New Product Innovation Award for its clinically backed, patented, non-GMO, allergen-free paraprobiotic, IMMUSE™, Lactococcus lactis strain plasma (LC-Plasma),). The lactic acid bacteria developed by Kirin Holding Company Limited and offered by Kyowa Hakko USA, directly activates immune cells to provide comprehensive innate and adaptive immune support. IMMUSE™  provides ease of formulation and can be used in a number of products including drinks, yogurt, gummies and range of other functional food and beverages.

"IMMUSE™ is backed by twenty-six studies, including 11 human clinical trials that comprise nine efficacy studies and two safety studies, making it one of the most comprehensively studied and clinically validated paraprobiotics ingredients" said Smriti Sharma, Senior Industry Analyst. Also, a series of clinical studies indicates that "IMMUSE™ can improve respiratory health and, in turn, reduces fatigue and enhancessports performance and office productivity"."Besides, IMMUSE™ has self-affirmed Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the United States, positioning it ideally to cater to the growing consumer demand for clean-label functional food and beverages."

IMMUSE™ provides broad-range immune support by activating plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). This rare immune cell subset activates other immune cells such as natural killer (NK), killerT, helperT, and B cells, which are important for innate and adaptive immunity. Other immune support ingredients, including generic probiotics and beta-glucan, activate limited immune cell types, imparting only partial immune support compared to IMMUSE™. Dr. Shintaro Ichikawa, Director of Technical Affairs at Kyowa Hakko USA, led the development and product launch of IMMUSE™ notes, "IMMUSE™ is unlike any other immune support ingredient, by activating pDC's, key leaders of the immune system, IMMUSE™provides more comprehensive immune support."

Being part of Kirin Holdings, Kyowa Hakko has a distinct edge as it can leverage years of expertise and technical know-how of its parent company. In terms of ensuring higher product quality, the company does not use any organic solvents in the upstream and downstream fermentation processes, making the whole process sustainable. The Lactococcus lactis strain used has a long-established use case history in in cheese and yogurt production. Also, safety studies conducted by Kirin Holdings indicate that the strain is well tolerated even at a high dosage (250 mg/day), which makes IMMUSE™ a safe and reliable immune health ingredient.

"IMMUSE™ has been a part of numerous products such as drinks, yogurt, and other functional food and beverage since its launch, supporting both health and business cases for the ingredient," noted Sharma. "The strong research associated with the ingredient, its application versatility, and stringent quality standards followed by Kyowa Hakko and its parent group are vital differentiators, and position IMMUSE™ firmly in the competitive immune health space." We are excited to offer our customers the latest breakthrough approach in immunity as consumers are looking to support their immune systems proactively and consistently with a focus on overall health and wellness year-round. It is an honor to have our innovative Kyowa Hakko clinically-studied ingredient recognized to elevate immune health products." observes Dr. Shintaro Ichikawa.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has developed an innovative element in a product by leveraging leading-edge technologies. The award recognizes the value-added features/benefits of the product and the increased return on investment (ROI) it gives customers, which, in turn, raises customer acquisition and overall market penetration potential.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

For more information about IMMUSE™, visit https://immusehealth.com

Organic & Natural Health Association to Host Fundraiser Supporting HBCU Students Interested in Natural Health Careers at SupplySide West

To further its commitment in raising a minimum of $50,000 for the Williams-Franklin Foundation (WFF) during the next five years to support education expenses for students of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) who are interested in careers in natural health and healthcare, Organic & Natural Health Association will host a networking event to fundraise for the “Organic & Natural Health Scholarship Fund” at Old Soul Restaurant in Las Vegas. Informa Markets is the headlining sponsor for the event with a $5,000 commitment. The event will take place at the start of the SupplySide West conference.

“Increasing diversity and promoting DEI initiatives among organizations in the natural products industry is a priority focus at Informa Markets,” said Jon Benninger, vice president and market leader for SupplySide, Informa Markets. “Having more diversity in leadership positions within the industry allows us all to serve a larger audience of consumers who need to know about natural products. We see the Williams-Franklin Foundation as a good vehicle to attract new talent into the industry.”

Organic & Natural Health first announced its effort with the WFF to establish the “Organic & Natural Health Scholarship Fund” at the start of the year as an industry-wide cause, and this spring hosted its first virtual scholarship celebration and fundraiser on the SupplySide 365 Network platform, where more than $14,000 in donations were raised to fund seven scholarships for HBCU students this year.

“Through our collective fundraising efforts with the natural products industry at large, we are opening new doors for talented students who didn’t previously know the natural products industry existed,” said Karen Howard, CEO and executive director of Organic & Natural Health. “This is a systemic change that is necessary in our industry and we continue to invite all leaders to the initiative to help us expand it further. The next fundraising event at SupplySide West will be an opportunity to do just that.”

Old Soul Restaurant, located at 495 S. Grand Central Parkway in Las Vegas, is a pre-prohibition-style restaurant led by executive chef Natalie Young, who has more than 20 years of experience working in some of the most celebrated and demanding kitchens in the United States. Old Soul Restaurant includes an “elevated American classic kitchen with an emphasis on bourbon and whiskey, while you eat on grandma’s good china.” Organic & Natural Health’s networking and fundraising event for WFF will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m., Oct. 26. Tickets are $200 with a $100 tax deduction and sponsorship packages are also available at: http://wffatsupplysidewest.rsvpify.com.

The Williams-Franklin Foundation is a 501(c)3 incorporated nonprofit that provides academic scholarships, business/career networking, and mentoring opportunities to HBCU students with extreme financial need. Led by husband and wife team, Dwight and LaShelle (Williams) Franklin, both HBCU graduates who used their own seed money to launch the foundation in 2014. In a short time, their organization has raised thousands of dollars that have impacted the lives of many HBCU students.

“Organic & Natural Health’s position as a leader in the natural products industry on the topic of diversity and inclusion has created a conduit between the students our foundation serves, and other leaders in the natural products industry, providing them with professional opportunities and critical financial support,” said Dwight Franklin, co-founder of WFF. “At the end of the day, our goal is to do our part to eliminate as much debt as possible for HBCU students and open as many doors for them as we can, so we appreciate anyone who can help us accomplish this goal.”

For leaders and companies within the natural products industry who wish to donate a tax-deductible gift directly to the Organic & Natural Health Scholarship Fund, please visit https://www.wmsfranklinfoundation.org/donate/ and select “Organic & Natural Health Fund” in the drop box when donating.

The Functional Medicine Event of the Year!

Biotics Research is excited to announce our speaker line-up for the 2022 Epic Functional Medicine Conference!

Learn from industry-leading speakers as they cover hot-off-the-press topics and enjoy the rare opportunity to network with these thought leaders and your colleagues during this 2-day event.

Speakers

·       Mark C. Houston, MD, MS, MSc, ABAARM, FACP, FAHA, FASH, FACN, FAARM, DABC

·       Alex Vasquez, DC, ND, DO, FACN

·       Pamela W. Smith, M.D., MPH, MS

·       Lindsey Berkson, MA, DC, CNS, DACBN

·       Tereza Hubkova, MD, ABIM, ABIHM

Seminar Topics

·       New and Revolutionary Concepts in Hypertension: An Integrative Approach with Nutritional Supplementation

·       Antiviral Nutrition Updated from 1994 to 2022: 28 years of Advancement in the Safe and Effective Prevention and Treatment of Viral Infections

·       What You Must Know About Memory Loss and How You Can Stop It

·       Problems with Randomized Studies and Litigation Driving Healthcare; Issues with the Women’s Health Initiative and the Vindication of Estrogen

·       Gut Microbiome, Sleep, Mood, and Behavior – An Update on the Gut Brain Axis

Learn more about this event and register here.

Aviv Clinics Revolutionizes Post Stroke Treatments

Aviv Clinics announces the launch of their Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) treatment for patients recovering from strokes and other medical conditions associated with the lack of oxygen to the brain. Researchers worked for years (2008-2018) studying how to help ease the suffering of stroke patients. Teams of researchers have shown that this specific treatment (HBOT) can help with symptoms and recovery from brain injuries including strokes. Aviv is excited and proud to offer this specific treatment to their patients to provide the right treatment providing hope for a better quality of life.

Aviv creates an in-depth assessment of the severity of the brain injury by using both physical and neurological tests to assess how sustainable the HBOT treatment will be. The Aviv team advises on a HBOT treatment plan which involves breathing 100% pure oxygen in their special room known as the HBOT suite. The combination of elevated pressure and pure oxygen in the suite increases the blood volume several fold, ultimately encouraging damaged tissues to regenerate and heal faster.

Aviv Clinics explains that increased oxygen to the brain helps restore the injured brain tissue. There is a quantitative improvement in memory function, attention span, and faster information processing speed with increased blood flow to damaged parts of the brain associated with memory, vision, and attention. Aviv clinic gives stroke patients hope for an improved quality of life.

As part of Aviv's advanced treatment program, patients undergo an in-depth medical assessment. This entails a three-day medical, physiological and psychological assessment conducted by their superior medical staff. Aviv Clinic uses state of the art MRI, fMRI and SPECT as part of the examination. Their caring staff and modern facility offer the best in patient care and hope for a healthier, happier future.

Emerson Ecologics Launches Wellevate® Labs, New Comprehensive Clinical Laboratory Service

Emerson Ecologics, the leading provider of products and solutions for integrative health professionals, introduces the latest fundamental tool offered on its Wellevate® platform. Wellevate Labs radically simplifies the arduous diagnostic testing process. This latest innovation aggregates the ordering, reporting and secure sharing of conventional and specialty labs—all seamlessly integrated for health and wellness professionals through the Wellevate platform.  

Since 2015, Wellevate has established itself as a trusted name in online dispensaries, helping practices scale through its Virtual Dispensary® platform by enabling providers to create co-branded online stores. Wellevate has since evolved into a category of its own by offering a robust suite of digital solutions, including EHR integrations, HIPAA compliant telehealth, patient mobile app and now a comprehensive portfolio of over 1,000 diagnostic tests to further transform integrative health practices. 

“Wellevate is a one-stop shop for connected care. We’re facilitating better patient outcomes by revolutionizing the fragmented diagnostics industry known today,” says Jaclyn Smeaton, ND, senior vice president of medical education at Emerson Ecologics. “For more than 40 years, we have been committed to providing quality products, clinical education resources, patient protocols, and innovative technological solutions that empower healthcare professionals to succeed in improving patient lives. We’re excited to now add diagnostic functionality to our offering to further simplify practice management for integrative health practitioners. Wellevate’s cutting-edge digital platform offers everything providers need to build, scale and grow their practice.”

Wellevate Labs, powered by Evexia Diagnostics, offers centralized access to a comprehensive portfolio of lab tests from leading providers including Genova, Precision Analytical, Labcorp, US BioTek and many more. This new service also bolsters functionality by offering a physician support network for expanded provider access, facilitating lab orders for qualified providers with a physician co-signature. 

“A trend toward telehealth has been greatly accelerated by the pandemic.  A longer trend toward holistic care models and integrative medicine simply respects the primacy of the patient’s need, priorities, and preferences,” says Dr. David L. Katz, CEO of Diet ID and founder of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center. “Emerson Ecologics is innovating at the critical confluence of these two trends, blending integrative care models with seamlessly integrated digital resources to elevate standards of practice, enhance clinician efficiency, and empower patients with knowledge and choice. The addition of Wellevate Labs furthers their established leadership.”

To address the future of diagnostic medicine, Wellevate is presenting LabsLive 2021 on Oct. 16. The virtual event will feature the brightest minds in functional and lifestyle medicine as they discuss the full potential of diagnostic labs. Participants will learn how to apply an expert framework to their routine labs to help collect more insightful data, diagnose more effectively and give better connected care. 

For more information on Wellevate Labs visit go.wellevate.me/labs and to learn more about LabsLive 2021 visit go.wellevate.me/labslive. To build your online store today, visit wellevate.me.

About Emerson Ecologics

Since 1980, Emerson Ecologics, LLC has grown to be the trusted partner to nearly 50,000 integrative health practitioners. Over 40 years of experience and expertise have fueled Emerson Ecologics' innovative Wellevate® Connected Care platform. This dynamic suite of digital tools is designed to seamlessly connect healthcare providers with their patients and clients. Wellevate in conjunction with Emerson’s wholesale offerings work together to create the complete omnichannel dispensing solution for the entire wellness journey. For more information, visit emersonecologics.com.