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PhD candidate supported by a research grant awarded to NattoPharma (now Gnosis by Lesaffre) attains his degree, continues to build evidence of K2 cardiovascular and bone benefits. MARCQ-EN-BAROEUL, FRANCE AND EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ (10 MAR 2022) – PhD candidate Grzegorz Wasilewski defended his thesis on February 22, 2022, at Maastricht University, Cardiovascular Research … Continue reading Researcher Defends Vitamin K2 Doctoral Thesis
PhD candidate supported by a research grant awarded to NattoPharma (now Gnosis by Lesaffre) attains his degree, continues to build evidence of K2 cardiovascular and bone benefits.
MARCQ-EN-BAROEUL, FRANCE AND EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ (10 MAR 2022) – PhD candidate Grzegorz Wasilewski defended his thesis on February 22, 2022, at Maastricht University, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), The Netherlands. His work was supported by funding from the Norwegian Research Council and a research grant awarded to NattoPharma ASA (now Gnosis by Lesaffre).
The thesis, “Calcium Paradox – the role of vitamin K in the bone-vascular axis”1, highlighted the published work Wasilewski has done in conjunction with and under the leadership of Prof. Leon Schurgers, Professor of Biochemistry of Vascular Calcification and Vice-Chair of Biochemistry at CARIM, Maastricht University. This research includes an important review paper2, an in-vivo study exploring the combination of phosphate binder therapy with vitamin K2 to inhibit vascular calcification in kidney patients3, and an in-vitro study examining the impact of K2 as MK-7 supplementation in osteogenesis4.
“Scientists from Maastricht University have recently shown that combining vitamin K2 with phosphate binder treatment reduces vasculature and cartilage calcification. Additionally, they also discovered a novel role of vitamin K2 in beneficially affecting osteoblast maturation from induced pluripotent stem cells. Their findings might be clinically relevant for chronic kidney disease patients and for those seeking stem-cell therapies,” Wasilwski said in his defense.
“With these discoveries, we are a step closer towards management of vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease patients. Using our novel experimental animal model of chronic kidney disease and vitamin K-deficiency demonstrates the beneficial role of combining phosphate binders with vitamin K2 in reducing vascular calcification compared to phosphate binders alone,” he added, noting that future clinical trials are needed to address whether vitamin K2 needs to be implemented in standard treatment therapy with phosphate binders. “Further, we have discovered a novel non-canonical role of vitamin K2 in aiding collagen synthesis in our iPSC model of osteoblast differentiation. Our results are fascinating as it changes the perspective on how MK-7 can impact skeletal disorders as well as paving the way for stem cell-based personalized therapy.”
Since 2004, NattoPharma has worked closely with the Maastricht University in documenting benefits of the company’s exclusive vitamin K2 as MK-7 brand MenaQ7®. The research grant awarded to the NattoPharma International Research Network provided training in innovative therapeutic strategies that include MenaQ7, integrating early detection and prevention, to yield novel approaches to the management of chronic vascular and metabolic diseases that affect the increasing aging population of Western societies.
Wasilewski was under the supervision of Prof. Leon Schurgers, a co-leader in the multidisciplinary research project together with Dr. Hogne Vik, Chief Medical officer at NattoPharma (now Gnosis by Lesaffre). This project is emblematic of NattoPharma’s continuation of the multi-year vitamin K2 research partnership with CARIM (as announced in 2020), to which Gnosis by Lesaffre has committed.
“We are honored to have had the opportunity to support this distinguished researcher, and to see him come through this program making a substantial contribution to the argument that Vitamin K2 as MK-7 can indeed change the face of global health,” says Dr. Vik. “This work is so important as we continue to build an unshakeable science-based argument for Vitamin K2 as MK-7 is an essential nutrient worthy of its own Recommended Daily Intake (RDI), but also as a potential therapy for patient populations who express excessive calcification as a symptom of their condition.”
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References:
2 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30805347/
3 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34718756/
4 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33585456/
About Gnosis by Lesaffre
Gnosis by Lesaffre harnesses the power of microorganisms and biotransformation processes like fermentation to cultivate nutritional actives, probiotics, and nutritional and functional yeasts that benefit human health and wellbeing. The team draws on its focused research and applications capabilities to collaborate with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical brands to develop game-changing products for their customers.
For more information, please contact:
Kate Quackenbush, Communications Director, k.quackenbush@gnosis.lesaffre.com, +1 609-454-2992 x220
New grant will fund substantiating MenaQ7 Vitamin K2 effect on calcium metabolism The Norwegian Research Council has awarded a grant to ex-NattoPharma to fund a 4-year project to document the effects of calcium metabolism in the body based on the presence or absence of Vitamin K2, MK7. The project will utilize ex-NattoPharma’s MenaQ7® Vitamin K2 … Continue reading Norwegian Research Council Grant
New grant will fund substantiating MenaQ7 Vitamin K2 effect on calcium metabolism
The Norwegian Research Council has awarded a grant to ex-NattoPharma to fund a 4-year project to document the effects of calcium metabolism in the body based on the presence or absence of Vitamin K2, MK7. The project will utilize ex-NattoPharma’s MenaQ7® Vitamin K2 as MK-7 and the research part will be conducted at the Maastricht University in the Netherlands in the Department of Biochemistry under the guidance of Dr. Leon Schurgers, Senior Scientist and Associate Professor of Biochemistry at Maastricht and CARIM, the Cardiovascular Research Institute of Maastricht.
In this research, Nattopharma together with the Maastricht University will study the utilisation of calcium in preclinical models for postmenopausal bone loss and chronic kidney failure to determine how supplemental calcium is metabolized in the presence or absence of supplemental vitamin K2, MK7.
“This study will help to provide further evidence that calcium without adequate Vitamin K2 consumption might end up in the soft tissues where it is not wanted, rather than in the bone matrix, where it is needed,” says Dr. Schurgers. In a recent study by “Bolland et al. it was shown that calcium supplementation of postmenopausal women was associated a beneficial effect on bone, but also with increased myocardial infarction, suggesting detrimental effects on the vascular system possibly by increased vascular calcification. As calcium supplementation is needed for bone, the precipitation in the vessel wall needs to be inhibited.”
Vitamin K2’s role as a cardiovascular supporter
Ex-NattoPharma is rightfully excited about this new study, which should add to the evidence confirming Vitamin K2’s role as a cardiovascular supporter, including the ground-breaking three-year interventional study[1] the company sponsored that confirmed adding 180mcg of MenaQ7® Vitamin K2 as MK-7 to one’s daily intake improves arterial health and flexibility.
“This will be the first study that demonstrates K2’s impact on calcium metabolism in vivo; however, we have shown in human studies with healthy participants that the progression of hardening of the arteries can be halted and even regressed,” adds Dr. Hogne Vik, ex-NattoPharma Chief Medical Officer. “Calcium supplement manufacturers must recognize the importance of pairing calcium with Vitamin K2. They cannot ignore the growing body of evidence that K2 is required for the body to properly metabolize and utilize calcium.”
Reference:
1 Knapen MH et al, Braam LAJL, Drummen NE, Bekers O, Hoeks APG, Vermeer C. Menaquinone-7 supplementation improves arterial stiffness in healthy postmenopausal women: double-blind randomised clinical trial. Thrombosis and Haemostasis. 2015 113 5: 1135-1144. doi: 10.1160/TH14-08-0675.
Renewed five-year commitment kicks-off with research project that aims to verify severe vitamin K deficiency in COVID-19 patients and to demonstrate that K2 may provide a novel solution for optimizing vascular health. In 2006, ex-NattoPharma began a research partnership with the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands, the distinguished group that continues to lead the … Continue reading Maastricht Research Partnership Renewal
Renewed five-year commitment kicks-off with research project that aims to verify severe vitamin K deficiency in COVID-19 patients and to demonstrate that K2 may provide a novel solution for optimizing vascular health.
In 2006, ex-NattoPharma began a research partnership with the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands, the distinguished group that continues to lead the exploration of K2 discovery and its role in improving human health. This has resulted in many successes, such as partnership in the Horizon 2020 EU ITN grants EVOlUTION and INTRICARE and commercial success for ex-NattoPharma products improving human health.
This renewed five-year commitment will kick-off with a research project that aims to demonstrate that vitamin K2 provides a novel solution for restoring vascular health in patients and optimizing vascular function in a healthy population.
“Our work with Maastricht has helped us not only create the Vitamin K2 category but also to keep NattoPharma on the front line of research and development. The discoveries from research continue to confirm that an adequate level of K2 guides calcium to where you need it – in your bones and teeth, and away from your arteries and blood vessels where calcification makes them stiff,” says NattoPharma CEO Kjetil Ramsøy.
“The work conducted in collaboration with ex-NattoPharma will provide further research into the role of vitamin K2 concerning calcium metabolism, impacting various aspects of our health,” says Prof. Schurgers, Professor of Biochemistry of Vascular Calcification and Vice-Chair of Biochemistry at the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), Maastricht University. “There is great potential in learning how these mechanisms impact cardiovascular health, but also the implications for other systems, such as bone, cartilage, brain, and pulmonary health.”
Link between Covid-19 outcomes and vitamin k status
A recent significant discovery linked a better vitamin K-status in COVID-19 patients to better outcomes. ex-NattoPharma is excited to support this new research project that will further explore these findings, examining the severity of vitamin K deficiency in COVID-19 patients and investigating the role of vitamin K2 for vascular health protection in the post-COVID-19 world.
“The first study represented an amazing finding, linking poor vitamin K status on COVID patients with poor prognosis,” explains Prof. Schurgers, co-author of the study. “While we do not suggest vitamin K2 is a treatment for COVID-19, we expect this next stage of research may confirm that vitamin K2 could provide a novel solution for optimizing vascular health. Vascular health is important as this system needs to supply and support other organs, thereby improving outcomes for patients with comorbidities.”
NattoPharma’s market-leading branded ingredient, MenaQ7®, has been the source material for all clinical trials studying vitamin K2 since 2006 when collaboration with Maastricht University began.
“We are grateful for our long and productive relationship with Maastricht and excited for future discoveries so we can continue translating it into products that serve the estimated 97% of the population eating a modern diet that is deficient of this critical vitamin,” says Ramsøy.