Cardium Therapeutics announced plans to introduce non-prescription Cerex (Panax quinquefolius) easy use 200 mg capsules, a plant-based dietary supplement to support cognitive performance for healthy people of all ages. Cardium is planning to begin marketing Cerex in the first quarter 2011. Cardium launched its MedPodium modern lifestyle brand in early November and the addition of Cerex represents another important step toward broadening MedPodium to address neuro-cognitive function.
Cerex is a ginsenoside-based nutritional supplement intended to support cognitive functions including focus, memory, and attention. Based on data from a recently completed clinical study published in Psychopharmacology 212(3): 345-56 (2010), taking the primary ingredient of a Cerex 200 mg capsule once or twice (approximately six hours following the initial dose) was reported to increase attention, focus and mental alertness.
The key ingredient of Cerex is CereBoost, a bio-available, standardized, well characterized, North American-sourced ginsenoside, which was developed and clinically-studied by Naturex, a French-based international manufacturer of natural, specialty ingredients for the food & beverage, nutrition & health and personal care industries. CereBoost received the dietary supplement industry's 2010 NutrAward for Best New Ingredient. Cerex is expected to be the first CereBoost product available for sale in the US.
“Consistent with our strategy, we continue to identify and evaluate many new and established key ingredients and formulations from around the world for Cardium's MedPodium modern lifestyle product portfolio. We are highly selective and require that products in our portfolio be substantiated with scientific data to support an understanding of the mechanism of action, have well-defined manufacturing standardizations, and allow for easy to use formulation and dosage. In short, MedPodium's goal is to design and formulate a portfolio of best-in-class products using innovative and well-tested key ingredients designed to enhance health and wellness concerns for our consumers,” stated Christopher J. Reinhard, Cardium's chairman and chief executive officer.
Continuing, Reinhard noted that, “We recently announced the market launch of our new weight management product, Linee (Appexium 150 mg), designed to help manage appetite and hunger, and Cerex now provides us with an opportunity to address the important and expanding cognitive performance market sector. We plan to initially market Cerex to college students, working professionals and seniors who seek a safe and easy use dietary supplement intended to support cognitive function. In view of widespread press reports about the extensive off-label use of stimulant-based, addictive-prone ADD/ADHD drugs on college campuses throughout the US, we believe that MedPodium's Cerex could offer a safe and natural alternative.”
Cerex is a ginsenosides-based dietary supplement formulated to include a standardized powdered extract of North American-sourced Panax quinquefolius root, commonly referred to as American ginseng. This highly characterized plant extract was commercially developed by Naturex and is standardized to a 10%-12% ginsenoside concentration.
MedPodium is a portfolio of premium, science-based, easy to use nutraceuticals, metabolics and aesthetics designed to promote health and well-being for today's active and professional lifestyles. Its products are based on key ingredients that have been well characterized scientifically and shown to be capable of promoting healthy lifestyle interests such as enhancing energy, cognition, mood, sleep, weight management, fitness and aesthetics. The brand also features improved product formulations including easy to use pills and capsules, novel, fast-acting oral drops and sprays, and innovative transdermal delivery systems.
Cardium is focused on the acquisition and strategic development of new and innovative bio-medical product opportunities and businesses that have the potential to address significant unmet medical needs and definable pathways to commercialization, partnering and other economic monetizations. Cardium's current investment portfolio includes the Tissue Repair Company, Cardium Biologics, and the Company's in-house MedPodium healthy lifestyle product platform.