Lycopene in Ateronon prevents oxidation of LDL cholesterol

Press Release - Ateronon 1 June 2009 - A breakthrough for heart health – tomato pill prevents the

oxidation of LDL cholesterol (pdf)

Testimonials - Ateronon (pdf)

Video (see column right) - 5 minutes or see Ateronon YouTube channel.

BBC - Preliminary trials involving around 150 people with heart disease indicate that Ateronon can reduce the oxidation of harmful fats in the blood to almost zero within eight weeks, a meeting of the British Cardiovascular Society will be told at Ateronon's launch on Monday.

But Professor Peter Weissberg of the British Heart Foundation said:

Fruit & veg still is key, says BHF

We're urging caution over claims by scientists that a natural supplement made from tomatoes, taken daily, can stave off heart disease and strokes.

The scientists say that a 'tomato pill' containing an active ingredient from the Mediterranean diet - lycopene - can block "bad" LDL cholesterol that can clog the arteries.

Ateronon, made by a biotechnology company attached to Cambridge University, is being launched as a dietary supplement and is to be be sold on the high street.

But in response to the launch, at the 2009 British Cardiac Society conference, Professor Peter Weissberg, Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation said:

"As always, we caution people to wait for any new drug or modified ‘natural’ product to be clinically proven to offer benefits before taking it. It will take some time, and several clinical trials, to provide such evidence for Ateronon.

"In the meantime, our advice to heart disease patients or those at high risk is to rely on proven medications prescribed by their doctor, and aim to get the benefits of a Mediterranean diet by eating plenty of fresh fruit and veg.

"We need to be clear in this instance, that the British Heart Foundation supported some of the basic science at Cambridge University underpinning the development of this product over a decade ago and, as such, could benefit from its commercialisation."

Sky News: 'But critics say the drug has still to undergo full clinical trials. Sky News health correspondent Thomas Moore said: "The manufacturers of ATERONON™ may well have condensed all the goodness in a tomato into an easy-to-take pill.

"But until they have done proper clinical trials there is no proof that it will make you live longer and healthier. "The pill costs more than £1 a day - and you can buy a lot of tomatoes for that. They probably taste better too."

Healthcare Professionals - Overview

ATERONON™ is a new ‘one-a-day’ natural supplement of 7mg patented, highly bioavailable lycopene (wikipedia).

ATERONON™, through clinical studies, has been shown to significantly reduce the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, recognised as one of the principal causes of astherosclerotic plaque formation, and may provide important information towards the reduced risk of heart attack and stroke.

As a natural formulation, it is possible to take ATERONON™ alongside prescribed medication and other supplements.*

ATERONON™ is designed to be taken on an on-going basis in order to help maintain bioavailable levels of lycopene in the body that will continue to inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which helps reduce the risk of plaque build-up in the arteries.

It is a natural product and is not known to have any side effects. It is not suitable for those with allergies to tomato, whey protein or soy.

Summary:

• More than half of all heart attacks and three quarters of all strokes occur in people who do not have an elevated cholesterol level
• Statins reduce the overall level of LDL but they do not prevent oxidative damage and atheromatous plaque formation
• The Mediterranean diet is associated with increased protection against heart attack and stroke
• ATERONON™ is based on one of the main active components of the Mediterranean diet, lycopene, which has been shown to reduce the oxidation of LDL dramatically
• ATERONON™ delivers lycopene in a form that can reach optimum sustainable levels in the body with a once-daily capsule
• ATERONON™ is a food grade product that has not been associated with any adverse effects in either healthy individuals or patients with cardiovascular disease alike
• ATERONON™ is not suitable for individuals with food allergies to, or intolerance of, tomatoes, milk and soya derivatives
• The ability of ATERONON™ to help inhibit LDL oxidation, recognised as a key step in the process of atherosclerosis offers new information in the work to reduce the risks of heart attack and stroke and, possibly, other atherosclerotic plaque-based conditions such as dementia and age-related macular degeneration.

Background:

ATERONON™ has been developed by Cambridge Theranostics, working with innovations originally identified by food company Nestle. Cambridge Theranostics is a bio-technology spin-out company from Cambridge University, originally funded by the British Heart Foundation.

ATERONON™ is produced to GMP standards in Milan, Italy.

reposted from: http://www.ateronon.com/About-Ateronon/Clinically-Proven.aspx

via Daily Express: http://www.ateronon.com/Press-Area/Daily-Express-TOMATO-PILL-TO-BEAT-HEART-DISEASE.aspx

Healthcare Professionals - Ingredients

ATERONON™ is a ‘one-a-day’ natural food supplement in capsule form.

Active ingredients:

Tomato Extract (Lycopene)

Other ingredients:

Whey Protein (from milk)

Soy

Microcrystalline Cellulose

Gelatin

Calcium Phosphate

Silicon Dioxide

Polysorbate

Glyceryl Behenate

Colours (Red Iron Oxide, TItanium Dioxide)

All ingredients have been certified as food.

As a natural formulation, ATERONON™ can be taken alongside prescribed medication and other supplements.

ATERONON™ is free from artificial colours and preservatives.

ATERONON™ contains milk and soy derivatives.

Healthcare Professionals - Detailed Review

More than half of all heart attacks and strokes occur in people who do not have an elevated cholesterol level

Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the developed world. Stroke is another significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Atherosclerotic plaque formation within arterial walls is one of the root causes of both of these conditions. Lipoproteins are essential elements in transporting cholesterol and other lipids around the bloodstream to cells, where they are used in a number of metabolic processes. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is a main transporter of cholesterol, required by all cells and metabolised in the liver. When damaged by oxidation, LDL is no longer recognised by the normal LDL-receptor on liver and other cells. This damaged LDL, LDLox, is instead removed from the circulation by macrophages that can recycle the damaged components. However, in excess, LDLox accumulates in macrophages, which become foam cells trapped in the wall of arteries (Heller et al., 1998; Parthasarathy et al., 1992; Witztum, 1993). Eventually, these can build atheromatous plaques which cause heart attacks, stroke and other diseases such as peripheral vascular disease (Witztum, 1993).

Statins reduce the overall level of LDL but they do not prevent oxidative damage and atheromatous plaque formation

The NHS currently spends in excess of £500 million a year on statins. These drugs do result in a 30% overall fall in the risk of death from ischaemic events by reducing the level of LDL in individuals at risk of cardiovascular disease and consequently reducing the risk of atherosclerotic plaque formation.

However, statins do not prevent the oxidation of LDL and half of all heart attacks and strokes occur in people who do not have an elevated cholesterol level.

The Mediterranean diet is associated with increased protection against heart attack and stroke

Higher intake of fruit and vegetables has long been recognised as being associated with lower risk of ischaemic stroke (Gillman et al 1995, Joshipura et al 1999, Hak et al 2004) and a number of epidemiological studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet in particular is associated with increased protection against both heart attack and stroke (Knoops et al 2004, Willett 2006, Bamia et al 2007, Fung et al, 2009).

ATERONON™ is based on one of the main active components of the Mediterranean diet, lycopene, which has been shown to reduce the oxidation of LDL dramatically

Lycopene, the naturally occurring red pigment found in the skin of ripe tomatoes, has been shown to be the principal antioxidant component of the Mediterranean diet (Kohlmeier et al, 1997, Rissanen et al 2002, Sesso 2004).

Ateronon™, a recently developed product of a highly bio-available form of lycopene, can reduce lipoprotein oxidation by up to 90% in older individuals with active atherogenesis within two months of commencing its administration.

ATERONON™ capsules given daily to older individuals with heart disease (mean age 61, range 40-70) doubled plasma lycopene levels in two weeks from 0.26 to 0.52µmol/L. To reduce the risk of atherosclerosis it is necessary to achieve plasma concentrations of the antioxidant lycopene of at least 0.2µmol/L, with an increasing trend in improvement from 0.2 to 0.6µmol/L.

ATERONON™ delivers lycopene in a form that can reach optimum sustainable levels in the body with a once-daily capsule

Few people outside the Mediterranean area can eat the amount of tomatoes required on a daily basis to maintain sufficient plasma levels of lycopene commensurate with effective lipoprotein anti-oxidant activity. A single capsule of ATERONON™ has been shown to deliver lycopene in a consistent, highly bio-available, bio-effective form that reaches plasma levels sufficient to dramatically reduce lipoprotein oxidation in individuals with active atherogenesis.

ATERONON™ is a food grade product that has not been associated with any adverse effects in either healthy individuals or patients with cardiovascular disease alike.

ATERONON™ is a 100% food grade product. A number of clinical studies have been carried out involving both healthy individuals and those with established coronary heart disease. No adverse effects were reported by any of the participants in these studies.

ATERONON™ is not suitable for individuals with food allergies to, or intolerance of, tomatoes, milk and soya derivatives.

Because ATERONON™ contains tomato, milk and soy derivatives, it should not be taken by individuals with food allergies to, or intolerances of, these items.

The ability of ATERONON™ to help inhibit LDL oxidation, recognised as a key step in the process of atherosclerosis offers new information in the work to reduce the risks of heart attack and stroke and, possibly, other atherosclerotic plaque-based conditions such as dementia and age-related macular degeneration.

By reducing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, ATERONON™ works at one of the root causes of atherogenesis and, as such, offers new information towards the reduced risk of conditions caused by atherosclerosis including heart attack and stroke. It may also offer new information towards the reduced risk of small vessel disease conditions including dementia and age-related macular degeneration.

ATERONON™ - Cambridge University heritage

ATERONON™ was developed by Cambridge Theranostics, working with initial research and innovations from food company Nestle. Cambridge Theranostics is a spin-out bio-technology company from Cambridge University (part funded by The British Heart Foundation) formed with the objective of researching natural substances with the ability to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and promote methods of achieving healthier longevity.

Through clinical practice, laboratory research and epidemiological observations the Cambridge Theranostics team has isolated natural bio-active ingredients and formulated organic lycopene into a new patented complex with demonstrable preventive and therapeutic properties.

ATERONON™ - continuing research

Current clinical trials using ATERONON™ at Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA, determining the rate of reduction of atherosclerotic plaque, and the degree of reduction of hypertension (high blood pressure), will report in 2011.

A trial of ATERONON™ among haemorrhagic stroke patients is underway at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, UK, and will report in 2010.

ATERONON™ EU health claim

An application for use of the following health claim for ATERONON™ is currently being processed by the European Union’s European Food Safety Authority.

"Lycopene, when delivered to the body, prevents oxidative damage of plasma lipoproteins, which reduces the build up of arterial plaques and reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and other clinical complications of atherosclerosis.”