Reliv Receives Expanded Patent For LunaRich

 

Reliv International, Inc. (NASDAQ: RELV), a maker of nutritional supplements that promote optimal health, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued an expanded patent for LunaRich, Reliv's exclusive nutritional ingredient. The updated patent further protects LunaRich technology as it relates to the soy peptide lunasin's mechanism of action for lowering LDL cholesterol levels.

Lunasin is a naturally occurring peptide scientists have identified as the key to many of soy's documented health benefits. LunaRich optimizes bioactive lunasin more than any other source available today.

Novel ingredients like LunaRich that boast a spectrum of nutritional technologies often require continual patent updates, said Dr. Carl W. Hastings, Reliv vice chairman and chief scientific officer. Reliv is committed to securing the strongest patent portfolio possible for this remarkable nutritional ingredient.

Reliv also holds a composition of matter patent related to LunaRich's superior ability to deliver bioactive lunasin to the body. Nine Reliv products have also been issued patents, with three of those having since reached the 20-year limit and expired.

Protecting an asset like LunaRich is a process, said Ryan Montgomery, Reliv president. We expect to receive continued enhancements to current patents, and we have additional unique patents pending. LunaRich puts Reliv and our products on a higher level in the industry, and we want to guarantee that the only place consumers can purchase LunaRich is through independent Reliv distributors.

Dual Action

Cholesterol comes from two sources: dietary intake and our body's own production in the liver, said Dr. Alfredo Galvez, chief scientific officer at SL Technology, a Reliv company. Over 80% comes from the liver, so the most effective way to lower LDL cholesterol is to control the liver's internal production.

The lunasin in LunaRich does so in two ways:

• Selectively disrupts a step in the production of an enzyme key to cholesterol synthesis.
• Increases receptors available in liver cells to clear LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream.

Most cholesterol is produced in the liver by the HMG-CoA reductase gene. Simply blocking HMG-CoA can lead to health problems because your body needs a minimum level of cholesterol for proper cellular function, Galvez continued. Lunasin instead targets cholesterol at an earlier stage, reducing the HMG-CoA without blocking it entirely. So you get cholesterol-lowering benefits without disrupting the body's normal functioning.

About Reliv International, Inc.
Reliv International, based in Chesterfield, Mo., manufactures nutritional supplements that promote optimal health. Reliv supplements address essential nutrition, weight loss, athletic performance, digestive health, heart health, joint health, women's health, children's health, anti-aging, blood sugar management and healthy energy. Reliv is the exclusive provider of LunaRich products, which optimize levels of lunasin, the peptide behind many of soy's health benefits. The company sells its products through an international network marketing system of independent distributors in 16 countries.