AUSTIN, Texas (April 6, 2023) — The American Botanical Council (ABC) recently presented the 2023 ABC Varro E. Tyler Commercial Investment in Phytomedicinal Research Award to the Sabinsa Corporation, a leading producer of nutraceuticals, “cosmeceuticals,” standardized botanical extracts, and other products for the nutritional, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries.
“All of us at Sabinsa consider being chosen to receive the ABC Varro E. Tyler Excellence in Phytomedicinal Research Award a great honor,” said Kalyanam Nagabhushanam, PhD, the president of research and development at Sabinsa. “This is a meaningful tribute to Sabinsa’s 35-year history of using modern scientific research methods to expand upon traditional Ayurvedic knowledge into the health benefits of botanicals. We realize that along with this honor comes the responsibility to maintain that position by continued fruitful research into phytomedicines.”
The ABC Tyler Award was named in honor one of the most respected US scientists in late-20th century herbal medicine and pharmacognosy (the study of drugs of natural origin, usually from plants). Professor Varro E. Tyler, PhD (1926–2001), was an early ABC Board of Trustees member and vice president of academic affairs and dean of the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Purdue University. He was the senior author of six editions of a leading pharmacognosy textbook in the United States and numerous other professional and popular books and academic articles. Tyler encouraged scientific and product integrity and envisioned a rational phytomedicinal health care sector that valued the proper evaluation of a phytomedicinal product’s quality, safety, and efficacy.
Sabinsa was founded in New Jersey in 1988 by Dr. Muhammed Majeed. The company’s mission is “to provide evidence-based natural products for human functional nutrition and well-being,” according to its website. As part of its commitment to research-based products, Sabinsa employs more than 120 full-time scientists working in India and the United States.
The company’s primary research and development center is located in Peenya, Bengaluru, India. Its research departments cover a range of topics, including phytochemistry, synthetic chemistry, tissue culture, agri-biotechnology, analytical research and development, microbiology, and supercritical fluid extraction, among others. “In today’s environment of a knowledge-driven economy, focus on research and innovation is imperative for any enterprise to succeed,” Sabinsa’s website notes.
In its 35-year history, the company has produced more than 100 standardized botanical extracts and funded more than 100 clinical studies on its products. Sabinsa also is considered a leader in intellectual property. As of February 2023, the company has been granted more than 400 patents. Among its flagship brands are BioPerine®, Curcumin C3 Complex®, LivLonga®, LactoSpore®, Sabroxy®, and Curcumin C3 Reduct®.
“Sabinsa firmly believes that immutable customer confidence in a nutritional product can be only secured on a long-term basis by demonstrating safety, quality, and scientific support,” Nagabhushanam said. “Sabinsa continuously invests in new research on all its products to ensure a pre-eminent position in the market.
“Our researchers delve deeply into all aspects of a botanical, as demonstrated by our multiple variations on turmeric,” Nagabhushanam continued.” Sabinsa’s Curcumin C3® Complex, the subject of nearly 100 human clinical trials, was followed by the introduction of other variations such as CurCousin®, and C3 Reduct® with its main active [ingredient] tetrahydrocurcumin. Other well-researched products Sabinsa has developed include Bioperine®, LactoSpore, and Saberry®, among others.”
Sabinsa and its founder have been recognized with numerous awards. In 2022, Sabinsa received the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (FKCCI’s) Best Manufacturer Export Award, and the company was ranked among the Top 10 Pharma Laboratories by business magazine India Pharma Outlook. In 2021, Sabinsa received FKCCI’s Export Excellence Award and a Best Trademarks Portfolio award from the Confederation of Indian Industry. Majeed received a lifetime achievement award at the First Kerala Pharmaceutical Congress in 2023 and has been named a “Legend of the Millennium in Nutraceutical Industry” and the “Father of Indian Nutraceuticals Industry” by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India. Also, in 2016, Majeed was named to the New Hope Network’s Hall of Legends.
“ABC salutes Dr. Majeed and his associates for their strong commitment to scientific and clinical research on their various botanical ingredients,” said ABC Founder and Executive Director Mark Blumenthal. “This is the first time that ABC has chosen a recipient of the Tyler award from India. There is a significant level of modern botanical research occurring in India as is certainly warranted since this country has a long history of empirical use of herbs and medicinal plants in the extensive tradition of Ayurveda and other traditional systems of medicine. In the Tyler award committee’s opinion, Sabinsa deserves recognition for its extensive commitment and contributions to botanical science.”
Stefan Gafner, PhD, ABC’s chief science officer, said: “Congratulations to Sabinsa for the 2023 ABC Tyler award! Sabinsa has one of the largest numbers of clinical trials of any of the companies that have received the ABC Tyler award so far. What is rather unusual for a botanical ingredient manufacturer is that some of their clinical studies were in patients that suffered from severe diseases such as multiple myeloma and pancreatic cancer. Based on regulatory restrictions, results from those investigations cannot be used to support any benefit claims for the ingredient or any of its products, and still the company supported such studies to further the knowledge on the ingredient.”
Previous recipients of the ABC Tyler Award include Max Zeller Söhne AG (2022); the Swedish Herbal Institute (2020); Jaguar Health/Napo Pharmaceuticals (2019); GW Pharmaceuticals (2018); Pharmatoka (2017); Brassica Protection Products (2016); MediHerb/Integria Healthcare (2015); SFI Flordis International (2014); Wakunaga Pharmaceutical Company (2013); Horphag Research (2012); Bioforce (2011); New Chapter (2010); Bionorica (2009); Indena (2008); and Dr. Willmar Schwabe Pharmaceuticals (2007).
The 2023 Tyler Award was presented at the 18th annual ABC Celebration and Botanical Excellence Awards Ceremony on March 8, 2023, in Anaheim, California, during the annual Natural Products Expo West Conference and Trade Show.
The ABC Celebration and Botanical Excellence Awards were generously underwritten by the following sponsors from the US and international medicinal plant industry and community: Alkemist Labs, Amin Talati Wasserman, Applied Food Sciences, Brassica Protection Products, Eurofins, Euromed, EuroPharma, Herb Pharm, Indena, MegaFood, Natural Factors, New Chapter, NOW Foods, RFI, RT Specialty, and the United Natural Products Alliance.