Evonik, one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals, operating in the nutrition & care, resource efficiency and performance materials segments, launches a series of new formulations of L-Ornithine-L-Aspartate (LOLA) at this year’s CPhI Worldwide trade show in Madrid.

The new formulations simplify the administration of this important therapeutic agent for liver diseases. The innovations should improve acceptance with patients and should open new markets for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies.

LOLA supports the reduction of ammonia concentrations in patients with a damaged liver, a problem globally on the rise. Up to now, the existing delivery forms are injectable or powders. The powders are known to be difficult to prepare and unpleasant to drink.

"Our aim was to increase the acceptance of patients by delivering a product with significantly improved mouthfeel and taste," explains Dr. Ashish Guha, responsible R&D manager for the new developments. In addition, the company has changed the crystalline structure of the product to speed up disintegration in water and to make the formulation drinkable faster. The new offering consists of effervescent tablets and granules, mouth-dissolving granules, chewable tablets as well as tea bags.

Osama Arabi-Katbi, who is commercially responsible for the new launches, emphasizes, "We have taken the different market needs into account. The formulations can easily and quickly be launched into the market, as we can offer all necessary regulatory approvals."

Evonik does not only offer the formulation expertise and related intellectual property to customers but also offers LOLA with highest quality standards. Through its backward integration, the company can guarantee supply security.

Given the expected rise in lifestyle related liver diseases, Evonik continues to invest in its line of Ornithine and Arginine based derivatives. In addition to LOLA, the company also offers L-Ornithine a-Ketoglutarate, L-Ornithine HCl, and L-Arginine-L-Aspartate.

The nutrition & care segment is led by Evonik Nutrition & Care GmbH and contributes to fulfilling basic human needs. That includes applications for everyday consumer goods as well as animal nutrition and health care. This segment employed about 7,000 employees, and generated sales of around €4.2 billion in 2014.