Callewaert sums up the current shortcomings in the drug development process: "Most drug compounds fall short when bridging the chasm between cell cultures and living organisms. The bioactive compounds we've been isolating have already been proven to work well in humans and hamsters without any apparent adverse side effects. This can dramatically shorten the lead time to market for an effective cholesterol management drug. And, from everything we've seen to date, there don't appear to be any adverse side effects."

Health Enhancement Products is in the process of funding a massive safety-toxicity and dose-response test to study potential side effects. Previous studies indicate that adverse events have not been detectable at dosage levels that show significant improvements in cholesterol levels. This is encouraging news for the science team.

The potential market for cholesterol-lowering drugs, food ingredients, natural supplements and functional foods is vast. The market for statins and similar prescription drugs in the U.S. alone topped $28 billion in 2009 and there are huge swaths of the population that can't tolerate the current crop of cholesterol-lowering drugs because of diabetes, kidney problems or other maladies. The market is ripe for a new approach to cholesterol management.

"This brings us one step closer to realizing the full potential of these compounds in many different applications," says John Gorman, Health Enhancement Products, Director. "The progress over the last few weeks has been remarkable and we're positioning our company to make a move in several vertical markets."

Source Wayne State University