Glucona Becomes Master Manufacturer and Supplier of Patented Calcium D-Glucarate

Business Wire, August 3, 2000

Business Editors/Health & Medical Writers

JANESVILLE, Wis.--(BW HealthWire)--Aug. 3, 2000

Glucona America Inc. has acquired the manufacturing and distribution rights to patented Calcium D-Glucarate from BioChemix Inc., of Austin, Texas.

As a result of this agreement, Glucona is responsible for the manufacture and supply of all BioChemix' patented D-Glucarate salts, such as Calcium D-Glucarate, to licensed distributors such as Nutraceutix Inc. of Redmond, Wash.

BioChemix holds all of the pertinent D-Glucarate patents that were developed at institutions such as Ohio State University and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. These rights were acquired several years ago.

According to Sean Traci, Glucona America's director, "Calcium D-Glucarate will provide Glucona with another quality product to build our distribution channels. We're excited to begin supplying such a unique, advanced product to the nutritional supplement industry."

Allison Minton, president of BioChemix, added, "BioChemix will contact all of our customers in writing to give notice of when the transition will formally take effect, which we expect to occur within the next month."

Calcium D-Glucarate is the patented version of glucaric acid, found naturally in the body, which promotes glucuronidation, a process in which the body eliminates toxins and other adverse substances from its system.

Glucaric acid is found naturally in foods such as apples, grapefruits, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage. Research indicates that high levels of D-Glucarate show increased health benefits. Patented D-Glucarate is currently used in human studies that are being conducted at the AMC Cancer Research Center in Denver.

D-Glucarate research was also conducted extensively at Ohio State University and the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Glucona will continue to supply Nutraceutix Inc., the largest licensed distributor of Calcium D-Glucarate. Nutraceutix customers include high quality supplement manufacturers such as Country Life, Natrol, Rexall, Schiff, Nutraceutical Corp., Source Naturals and Twin Labs.

Glucona is the leading global supplier of gluconate-based products. Glucona supplies gluconates to a wide array of manufacturers in the food, beverage and supplement fields. Among its key products in the nutritional supplement industry are Gluconal CAL(R), a calcium fortifier; Gluconal GDL(R), a natural, non-bitter acidulant; Magnesium and Iron gluconates; and patented Calcium D-Glucarate.

For further details, please call 888/GLUCONA.