11/01-11   -   Press releases

Danish Gumlink Setting its Sights on the Global Consumer Healthcare Market With its Nutraceutical Chewing Gum Technology

Gumlink is ready to expand the global focus of its patented Nutraceutical gum technology, which is able to incorporate various nutritional ingredients.

Approximately EUR 10 million has been invested in technology research and increased capacity, resulting in improvements in product quality and Gumlink´s competence-base with regards to the inclusion of nutritional active ingredients. The dosage levels attainable with this nutritional delivery system are, for such ingredients, at a competitive level in comparison to pills/capsules and functional beverages.

The efficacy has been documented by bioavailability studies showing that chewing gum as a novel nutritional delivery system is equally efficient as pills/capsules for several nutritional ingredients.

The range of possible application areas, within the Consumer Healthcare and Sports Nutrition segments using this technology are very broad. Concepts already developed are within; Immune Defense, Weight Management, Joint Health, Heart Health and Energy. Omega-3 combined with other new ingredients is also being researched. The core application - Oral Care will see an enhanced focus during 2011 as Gumlink, in collaboration with strong partners, will be able to market concepts with a pharmaceutical touch such as chlorhexidine, oral care probiotics, antacids and also a new concept that in terms of efficacy comes quite close to matching the good old toothbrush.

Parallel to this development, Gumlink has also been looking into new types of gum base polymers that stick less to dentures, and are more degradable than the chewing gum available on the market today.

Looking forward, Gumlink has initiated a product development program fueled by sister company Fertin Pharma where new concepts will be unveiled throughout 2011 every quarter. This development program brings together the gum competences of developing and manufacturing chewing gum for 80 years (Gumlink), and also the taste-masking competencies of medicinal chewing gum developed over the last 30 years (Fertin).

Gumlink is also cooperating with leading international ingredient suppliers that have developed proprietary ingredients supported by solid documentation and regulatory approvals, and expects to continuously announce new ingredient supplier partnerships during 2011.

Gumlink CEO, Soren Birn says: "As the consumer choices involved with healthcare products are broader and more generic than ever before, we are confident that our unique nutritional delivery system will pave the way for a fast and consumer friendly adoption as was the case with nicotine chewing gums in the 90´s."