Wellmune

Click on the article below from the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes for Health. Along with doing a good job explaining the innate and acquired immune system, it explores immunity as we age. The article suggests that ongoing research may help further understanding about whether or not there’s a way to “reverse the decline and boost immune protection in older individuals.”

Here’s the link: http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/biology-aging/immune-system-can-your-immune-system-still-defend-you-you-age

We’d suggest that older folks consider taking Wellmune to safely enhance immune system function. Wellmune doesn’t discriminate based on age and primes the existing immune cell population to help maintain good immune health.

Check back often for more insight into the benefits of Wellmune throughout the life cycle.

The creation of a United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) monograph for bakers yeast beta glucan is great news for the industry and consumers.  For the uninitiated, a monograph is the precise description of a food ingredient, how it can be universally identified and quantified using scientifically validated analytical methods.  FCC monographs establish minimum standards for purity and maximum levels of potential contaminants, further standardizing ingredients for use in food and beverage products, which is critical to maintaining safety and quality.

Although most consumers are unaware of FCC monographs, they are the food ingredient standards in the U.S. and more than 130 countries.  And they are a key reason that consumers can have confidence in the foods, beverages and dietary supplements they purchase.  In other words, the monographs help ensure that consumers get what they expect at the grocery store.

The FCC monograph for bakers yeast beta glucan is also an important milestone for this evidence-based immune health ingredient.  It has been part of the human diet since man started fermenting foods, such as baked goods and beverages that use bakers yeast.  However, very little beta glucan is exposed in raw yeast so the potential health benefit is minimal without proper processing.  Biothera’s Wellmune WGPis a highly purified beta glucan from the cell wall of a proprietary strain of bakers yeast.

In addition to collaborating with the USP to develop identification and measurement standards, Biothera’s commitment to ongoing research has resulted in an impressive body of evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of Wellmune WGP.  The new monograph will undoubtedly expand the use of Wellmune, which is well on its way to becoming a mainstream food, beverage and dietary supplement ingredient.

Roger Clemens, DrPH
President, Institute of Food Technologists
Chief Scientific Officer, Horn

EAGAN, MN — September 13, 2011 — Wellmune WGP^®, the immune health ingredient for foods, beverages and supplements from Biothera, has been named a recipient of a 2011 SupplySide West Scientific Excellence Award.

Virgo Publishing announced today that Wellmune WGP will be honored at an awards ceremony at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, October 12 in the Virgo booth (#22061) at SupplySide West in Las Vegas at The Venetian & Sands Expo.

A panel of industry experts evaluated award submissions on the basis of science/research methods, scientific breakthrough, innovation and appeal for the manufacturing community.  The Wellmune technology has been the subject of 30 peer-reviewed articles over the past decade, including six publications or scientific conference presentations of original clinical research in the 2010-2011.  In announcing Wellmune’s selection for an award this year, Virgo Publishing stated:  “All of these well-designed human clinical trials consistently demonstrated significant health benefits, including improved physical health, reduced upper respiratory track infection symptoms and improved well-being.”

“We are honored that Wellmune WGP has received this prestigious award,” said Rich Mueller, Biothera chief executive officer.  “This award is further recognition of Biothera’s strong commitment to an ongoing clinical research program that supports the use of Wellmune WGP as a unique food, beverage and supplement ingredient.”

Wellmune WGP has previously received an Innovation Award from the Institute of Food Technologists and a Frost & Sullivan Excellence in Research Award.

Virgo Publishing also stated:  “This technology has captured mainstream scientific community interest as evidenced by the April cover story in the journal Nature further elucidating the mechanism of action of Wellmune WGP. Additional knowledge of how Wellmune WGP works in the body was published in the June issue of the journal Blood, making Wellmune one of the best characterized and mechanistically understood ingredients in the natural products industry.”  Biothera’s research collaborations include leading institutions, such as UCLA medical center, Scripps Institute, Southampton University Hospital (UK), University of Louisville, Ohio State University, and University of Houston.

“Our team of chemists, biologists and immunologists have developed novel analytical methods and conducted numerous toxicology, mechanism of action and preclinical studies,” said Don Cox, Ph.D., senior vice president, Biothera research and development.  “We also have a large number of active research collaborations that have also further advanced the science of
 Wellmune WGP.”

About Wellmune WGP
Wellmune WGP is a natural ingredient that is clinically proven to safely prime the immune system to keep the body healthy. Wellmune WGP is a proprietary baker’s yeast beta glucan that mobilizes billions of innate immune cells that are part of the body’s natural defenses.  This unique immune health ingredient helps increase their effectiveness without stimulating the immune system. Wellmune WGP is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) under U.S. FDA regulations and has broad regulatory approval worldwide.  It is also patented, Kosher, Halal, non-allergenic, GMO-free.  Wellmune WGP is an ingredient in products in more than 30 countries.

About Biothera, the immune health company
Biothera is a biotechnology company dedicated to improving immune health. The company’s Healthcare Group is a leading provider of natural immune health ingredients for the functional food and beverage, dietary supplement, cosmetic and animal nutrition markets.  Biothera’s flagship ingredient is Wellmune WGP, a unique food, beverage and supplement ingredient.

Contact:
David Walsh
VP Communications
Biothera, the Immune Health Company
651-256-4606
dwalsh@biothera.com

NutraIngredients-USA.com, a leading website for the supplement and nutrition industry, reported today that Wellmune WGP^® is rapidly gaining acceptance as an immune health ingredient among major food, beverage and supplement manufacturers.  Wellmune WGP, which primes innate immune cells that keep the body healthy, is an ingredient in products in more than 30 countries, including juices, fruit smoothies, toddler formula, soups and healthy snacks. The manufacturers of these products range from large global companies such as Mead Johnson and Coca Cola to regional food, beverage and supplement companies.

Biothera on a Roll as Yeast Beta Glucan Moves into Mainstream

“Sales at biotech firm Biothera have exploded in the last three years as some of the biggest names in food and drink have started to take yeast-based beta glucan seriously as an immune health ingredient…”

Biothera Analytical Methods Adopted for New Industry Standard

EAGAN, MN — September 8, 2011 — The United States Pharmacopeia (USP), in collaboration with Biothera, has developed the first official monograph for beta glucan from bakers yeast (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae), a natural food, beverage and dietary supplement ingredient widely recognized for its immune health benefits.

The monograph was recently issued in the Third Supplement of the Seventh Edition of the Food Chemicals Codex, an internationally recognized compendium of standards for the purity and identity of food ingredients.

Biothera is a biotechnology company dedicated to improving immune health.  The company manufactures Wellmune WGP^®, a proprietary bakers yeast beta glucan clinically proven to prime key immune cells that help keep the body healthy and vital.  Biothera contributed the reference standard and two methods for identifying and quantifying the beta 1,3/1,6 branched glucan polymer derived from the cell walls of bakers yeast.

EAGAN, MN — September 3, 2011 — Biothera, the manufacturer of Wellmune WGP,  will sponsor a webinar about the link between stress and numerous health problems, including suppression of the immune system, at 1:00 pm U.S. central standard time on Wednesday, September 14. The webinar will be hosted on FoodNavigator-USA.com and NutraIngredients-USA.com.  Register here.

The webinar is entitled, “Closing the Window on Stress-Related Immune Suppression,” and features distinguished panelists in the fields of natural medicine, exercise physiology and immunology and immune health ingredient research will discuss their research and what it may mean to manufacturers of foods, beverages and supplements.

Surveys show that 75% of Americans today say they are “stressed out” and that stress is a major factor in workplace absenteeism and lost productivity. “Our industry has a tremendous opportunity to develop products that can deliver real immune health benefits to consumers so they can better cope with the daily stresses of their lives,” said Richard Mueller, president of Biothera’s Healthcare Group.

The webinar panel will include three industry experts:

Michael T. Murray, N.D.
Chairman, Dr. Murray Natural Living, Inc.

Brian McFarlin, Ph.D., FACSM
Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology, Nutrition and Immunology
Department of Health and Human Performance
University of Houston

Don Cox, Ph.D. 
Senior Vice President, Research & Development
Biothera, the immune health company

For more information, contact:
David Walsh
Vice President, Communication
Biothera
651-256-4606
dwalsh@biothera.com

New Glucan Enzymatic Method (GEM™) published in peer-reviewed chemistry journal

EAGAN, MN — September 2, 2010 — A method for analyzing beta glucan content of raw ingredients as well as finished food, beverage and supplement products that is more accurate and precise than previously described methods was published yesterday in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed publication of the American Chemical Society.

Chemists at Biothera, the manufacturer of Wellmune WGP® and other premium yeast beta 1,3/1,6 glucan ingredients, developed the Glucan Enzymatic Method (GEM™) as a solution to shortcomings of traditional glucan assays. Methods employing acid hydrolysis, for example, break down the beta glucan and all other polysaccharides present into glucose. The inability to distinguish between polysaccharides often results in an overestimation of the actual beta glucan content. GEM relies upon selective enzymes that detect beta glucan and break it down to glucose while leaving other polysaccharides intact.

“GEM is an important advancement in the chemical characterization of beta glucans,” said Richard Mueller, Biothera president and chief executive officer. “For the first time, food, beverage and supplement manufacturers can confirm scientifically the purity and quality of the ingredients they are adding to their products. Consumers also can have confidence that GEM-tested products contain the beta glucan dosage as labeled.”

Another important application of GEM is beta glucan analysis for finished products. For quality control purposes, manufacturers want a reliable assay to confirm dosage and label requirements. “GEM is the only assay for finished product analysis,” said Mueller. “No other ingredient supplier can match Biothera’s expertise in chemistry, biology and clinical research.”

The research paper is entitled, “Enzymatic Method To Measure β-1,3-β-1,6-Glucan Content in Extracts and Formulated Products (GEM Assay).” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

About Wellmune WGP®
Wellmune WGP is a natural ingredient that is clinically proven to enhance key immune cells that are the body’s first line of defense. Designed for functional foods, beverages and supplements, Wellmune WGP strengthens innate immune cells to more quickly find and kill foreign challenges. Wellmune WGP also enhances the immune system to protect against the harmful effects of physical or lifestyle stress. Wellmune WGP is patented, GRAS, TGA-approved, Kosher, Halal, non-allergenic and GMO-free. The ingredient is recipient of an IFT Innovation Award and a Frost & Sullivan Excellence in Research Award. Wellmune WGP is a product of Biothera, a U.S. biotechnology company dedicated to improving immune health.

Contact: 
David Walsh
VP Communications
Biothera, the Immune Health Company
651-256-4606 (direct)
dwalsh@biothera.com

EAGAN, MN — July 16, 2010 — Dr. Sears Family Essentials™ brand of children’s supplements and healthy snacks has introduced two new products to its line of Immune Plus Fruit Chews that contain Vitamins C and D, Zinc, Selenium, and Wellmune WGP®, a natural ingredient clinically proven to enhance immune health.

“Our proprietary blend mobilizes and fortifies you child’s immune system while they play and work,” said Dr. William Sears, renowned pediatrician, author and lecturer. “Immunity is a key part of a healthy childhood.” [...]