PLT Launches New Cognitive Health Ingredient that Offers Reduced Stress, Enhanced Mood and Improved Sleep into North American Market

Morristown, NJ 22 JULY 2024 – PLT Health Solutions announced today that it is adding to its industry-leading cognitive health portfolio in North America with a novel botanical ingredient that has been clinically demonstrated to reduce stress, enhance mood and happiness and improve sleep and waking outcomes. Called Vanizem™, the ingredient is a proprietary selection and extraction of the West African flowering plant Aframomum melegueta (Grains of Paradise) with standardized bioactives. In a recently completed clinical study, Vanizem was shown to provide improvements in self-reported tension scores (POMS) and significant improvements in sleep quality score (LSEQ) along with improvements in mood, vigor, ease of falling asleep and easier morning awakening. The ingredient was introduced to European markets by PLT innovation partner Nektium Pharma (Las Palmas, Spain) in March of this year. PLT Health Solutions is the exclusive sales and marketing partner for Vanizem in North America.

According to Devin Stagg, Chief Operating Officer for PLT Health Solutions, Vanizem represents a unique approach and opportunity for consumer products companies in the fast growing cognitive health market. “There is no doubt that cognitive health – particularly when it comes to stress, mood and sleep – has captured consumers’ attention at every age demographic. At PLT, we are focused on supporting this opportunity with a range of ingredients that offer novel benefits backed by solid clinical science,” he said. “Vanizem is exciting because it is fast-acting and experiential. Subjects taking Vanizem in the clinical trial saw statistically significant improvements at three days – with a low dose,” he said.

Compelling Product Features

Beyond the benefits and clinical science, Vanizem offers some features that should be of interest to product formulators and consumers. The clinical work for Vanizem was done with a very low 100-150 mg/day dose which means better compliance and easier product formulation. Improvements were seen starting in only three days, making it an experiential ingredient. Vanizem features a proprietary microencapsulation technology that enhances product stability over time. Like all Nektium ingredients, the starting point materials for Vanizem are sustainably grown and harvested. The extraction process is ‘gentle,’ and every gram of the material is subject to Nektium’s ID Assessment Program that assures HPLC-measured consistency of active ingredients.

According to Jennifer Murphy, MS, RD, Director of Innovation & Clinical Development for PLT Health Solutions, Vanizem can help companies develop a diverse range of exciting consumer products. “The clinical data on Vanizem shows that it can enhance formulations targeting stress and mood as well as those designed to promote and improve sleep. The effects on sleep are especially remarkable, given subjects took it early in the day. This speaks to Vanizem’s powerful impact on stress and tension. This ingredient and these data offer a fantastic opportunity for product development creativity,” she said.

According to Nektium Commercial & Partnership Director Bruno Berheide, the unique mechanism of action of Vanizem offers an exciting alternative in the crowded cognitive health ingredient space. “Vanizem is unique in this space, not just because of the exciting benefits it offers, but because of its mechanism of action – targeting the endocannabinoid system. We think consumer product companies will want to take a look at how this can help them create and message new products,” he said.