Posted by Larry Hoover on February 21, 2008, at 9:33:30
In reply to EPA as rx medication, or 'medical food', posted by iforgotmypassword on February 21, 2008, at 1:54:57
> I heard this was in the works.
> ------
> 1. - What were they planning on making it from:
> ·fish?
> ·otherwise non-vegan?
> ·algae?
> ·synthetic?There has been a patented EPA product for roughly a decade.....ethyl eicosapentaenoate, produced by Laxdale as LAX-101. Although the company is based in Britain, they actually obtain the stuff from Japan, in bulk. I'd assume that the source is fish oil. The triglycerides are hydrolyzed, the fatty acids are separated, and the eicosapentaenoic acid is then esterified with ethanol, yielding ethyl eicosapentaenoate. Because this substance is not found in nature, it is patentable.
> 2. - If it is in the works, is there any indication of the timeline?
> ------I'd assume they could supply it as a medical food right now. There have been clinical trials in Huntingdon's Disease, anorexia, depression, schizophrenia.....not sure of the outcomes, but the medical foods regs don't require strict proof of efficacy.
> 3. - How much would it likely cost?
Lots. Lots more than e.g. fish oil. Fish oil can't be patented.
> 4. - Who is doing the research (and, who is doing the development,) and which company would release it?
Laxdale has reorganized as Amarin, I think. That's the most likely culprit.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:813864
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080221/msgs/813885.html