Emisphere Technologies Inc. announced today that the company is introducing and launching its first commercially available product, oral Eligen B12 (100 mcg). This product has been specifically developed to help improve Vitamin B12 absorption and bioavailability with a patented formulation.
In a trial with healthy subjects conducted last year, Eligen B12 resulted in a ten-fold increase in peak serum B12 blood levels, a two-fold improvement in total bioavailability and a reduction in absorption time greater than 90% as compared to standard oral commercial formulations.
Eligen B12 has impressed others in the nutritional field. Dr. Michael Rothkopf, M.D., the director of Atlantic Health’s Metabolic Medicine and Weight Control Center, said, “Oral Eligen B12 is a scientific breakthrough that will help many individuals by increasing Vitamin B12 levels in the body. It has a different mechanism of action than other available formulations which will also prove to be a benefit.”
The company is partnering with Life Extension to market the product. Life Extension will have certain exclusivity in the US for distribution via the internet and also at specialty health food and nutritional retail chains including: The Vitamin Shoppe, GNC and Vitamin World. The Oral Eligen tablets will be available in November of this year.
Emisphere Technologies is also working on a high dose Medical Food Eligen B12 product (1000 mcg) to compete directly with the standard high dose B12 currently administered to millions of people under medical supervision for B12 deficiency. It is estimated that between 30 and 40 million such injections of B12 are given every year in the US and over 250 million such injections are given each year globally. The company is currently conducting a clinical study for this product which is expected to be completed in 2010.
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