15-09-2017
Positive clinical trial results published
Positive clinical trial results published on Smartfish’s targeted medical nutritional drink Remune in COPD patients suffering from pre-cachexia and cachexia
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 45 COPD patients suffering from pre-cachexia or cachexia shows that Remune – a targeted medical nutritional drink, developed and produced by the Norwegian company Smartfish AS – significantly improves the patients’ symptoms and activity related quality of life, besides being safe and tolerable.
According to the clinical study, Remune improves patients’ fat depots, fatigue and dyspnea, blood pressure and metabolic markers. It also shows positive trends in inflammatory markers and overall improved activity related quality of life compared to a milk based comparator drink with the same amount of calories.
“I’m very pleased that this study now is out in the public domain so that everyone can see the benefit of a targeted medical nutrition in COPD patients suffering from pre-cachexia or cachexia. That the type of nutrients you take matters.”, said Maria Öhlander, Chief Scientific Officer at Smartfish.
Cachexia is a condition of involuntary weight loss, undernourishment and a number of negative side-effects that can be seen in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), as well as in cancer and in several severe inflammatory diseases, such as AIDS, congestive heart failure, tuberculosis and rheumatoid arthritis. COPD is an obstructive lung disease characterized by long-term poor airflow, shortness of breath and severe cough. It affects nearly 5 percent of the global population. Approximately 20 to 30 percent of patients suffering from COPD also develop cachexia.
Remune is a targeted medical nutritional drink based on Smartfish’s patented technology and differs from other medical nutrition products. Remune’s unique composition is juiced-based with plant antioxidants and high levels of omega-3, vitamin D, high-quality whey protein and polyphenols targeted specifically at patients with cachexia. It has a fruity flavour and a smoothie like texture, features that have proven to be well accepted by cancer and COPD patients. In the study, either Remune or the placebo, a milk-based isocaloric drink – was taken by the patients twice daily over a period of 12 weeks.
The group that was given Remune showed a significant increase in Vitamin D and Omega 3, lowered blood pressure, increased fat mass and reduced fatigue and dyspnea. The group also showed improvements in metabolic and inflammatory markers. Overall, improvement in activity related quality of life was significant in the group given Remune.
“We have been convinced of our nutritional emulsions’ nutritional and medical effects for a very long time. A number of clinical studies have pointed in that direction. However, this is the first study of our product’s effect on one of the world’s major deadly diseases. It clearly shows that we can make a significant difference for patients. We will now do our utmost to ensure that Remune can reach them within short”, said Smartfish’s CEO Claus Kjaergaard.
For further information, please contact:
Claus Kjaersgaard, CEO, Smartfish
Phone + 45 5384 9718
claus@smartfish.no
Maria Öhlander, CSO, Smartfish
Phone +46 733 542 024
maria@smartfish.se
About Smartfish AS
Smartfish AS is active in the research, development, production and marketing of advanced and clinically documented nutritional drinks within medical nutrition and sports nutrition. All Smartfish products are produced on its proprietary juice based emulsion technology platform with the marine DHA and EPA fatty acids as important ingredients and raw materials. Smartfish has a number of ongoing clinical development projects and studies in close collaboration with researchers and institutions both in Norway and internationally. The company was founded in 2001 and is located in Oslo, Norway. Smartfish’s main shareholders are Norwegian Investinor and Swedish Industrifonden.
About cachexia
Cachexia is a complex metabolic syndrome associated with underlying illness and characterized by loss of muscle with or without loss of fat mass. The prominent clinical feature of cachexia is weight loss in adults. Anorexia, inflammation, insulin resistance and increased muscle protein breakdown are frequently associated with cachexia.
Cachexia is to be considered the result of the complex interplay between underlying disease, disease-related metabolic alterations and, in some cases, the reduced availability of nutrients (because of reduced intake, impaired absorption and/or increased losses, or a combination of these).
About COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease of the lungs characterized by persistent airflow limitation, which is not fully reversible. However, COPD is not a single-system disease: it is a systemic disease, which by 2020 is going to be the third most common cause of death in the world.
