NattoPharma, which is now a part of Gnosis by Lesaffre, announced that it recently secured patents in Canada and South Korea for the nature-identical synthesis it uses to create MenaQ7 Pharmapure, a form of vitamin K2 as MK-7, which enriches the company’s patent portfolio.
 
“This unique patented process results in the world’s only truly all-trans synthetic vitamin K2 as MK-7,” William Sommer, NattoPharma’s vice president of Global Development and Regulatory Affairs, said. “Our material is recognized as being of the highest quality, to which it is currently being utilized in multiple studies sponsored by the traditional medical community. This technology also ensures supplement manufacturers deliver the MK-7 with the health benefits customers desire.”
 
Sommer said that NattoPharma has made significant intellectual and monetary investments in technologies, and that the company is committed to actively monitoring market developments in order to protect the company’s intellectual property rights through its lifespan.
 
“The approval of these patents represents another milestone for NattoPharma and its partners,” Sophie Legrain-Raspaud, global research and applications director with Gnosis by Lesaffre, said. “This further strengthens our combined global IPR platform and improves our competitive position within the food supplement market. It is a wonderful development for NattoPharma and conveys the overwhelming promise of our recent merger.”