IN Brief:
- Marine lipid suppliers are widening their focus beyond conventional omega-3 ingredients into next-generation fatty acid concentrates.
- EPAX Cetoleic 2040 reduced LDL-cholesterol by 7% after eight weeks in overweight and obese adults.
- The study adds human clinical data for cetoleic and gondoic acid concentrates, with relevance for supplements and functional nutrition.
Epax has reported clinical trial results showing that EPAX Cetoleic 2040 reduced LDL-cholesterol by 7% after eight weeks in overweight and obese adults.
The ingredient is an oil concentrate containing omega-9 gondoic acid and omega-11 cetoleic acid, both marine long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids. The study is described as the first human trial to evaluate the effect of cetoleic and gondoic acid on LDL-cholesterol, building on pre-clinical work by researchers at the University of Bergen and others.
The randomised, double-blind controlled trial enrolled 80 healthy overweight and obese men and women with a BMI above 25, with 75 completing the eight-week intervention. Participants received a 4g daily dose of either EPAX Cetoleic 2040 or a control oil containing soybean oil and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from anchovy oil.
Both interventions contained comparable omega-3 levels, allowing the researchers to distinguish the effect of the cetoleic acid concentrate from the effect of omega-3. After eight weeks, LDL-cholesterol had decreased by 7% from baseline in the EPAX Cetoleic 2040 group compared with the control group, with statistical significance at p = 0.033. The reduction was not associated with changes in body fat percentage.
Oddrun Anita Gudbrandsen, Professor at the University of Bergen, said: “We already have extensive preclinical evidence that demonstrate the benefit of long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids on cholesterol concentration. Our clinical trial in healthy adults with overweight or obesity showed that supplementation with cetoleic acid concentrate reduced the LDL-cholesterol by 7% which is estimated to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by around 15%.”
The findings strengthen Epax’s NovusLipid category of next-generation marine lipid ingredients. The company’s EPAX Omega 3-9-11 ingredient is derived from pelagic fish from the North Atlantic and combines omega-3, omega-9, and omega-11 fatty acids, reflecting a broader movement in marine oil development beyond EPA and DHA alone.
Marine lipids have long been used in cardiovascular nutrition, but the category has been heavily shaped by EPA and DHA. Those omega-3 fatty acids are associated with established areas of health positioning, yet they are not generally used as cholesterol-lowering ingredients except at very high doses. A marine long-chain monounsaturated fatty acid concentrate with human LDL data gives supplement and functional nutrition manufacturers a more specific development route.
The trial design is useful because both groups received comparable omega-3 levels. That helps isolate the contribution of cetoleic and gondoic acid, making the result more relevant for ingredient development than a comparison against a simple placebo. It also gives product developers a clearer basis for deciding whether the ingredient should sit alongside conventional omega-3 oils or be positioned as a distinct lipid fraction.
Manufacturing considerations will shape how quickly the ingredient can move through finished-product development. Specialty marine oils require careful control of oxidation, odour, taste, encapsulation, dosage format, and traceability. A 4g daily dose also affects serving format, whether the product is developed as softgels, liquid oil, emulsions, sachets, or functional nutrition applications.
Finished-product claims will depend on local regulatory frameworks, and manufacturers will need to match any health positioning to authorised claim language in the relevant market. Even so, human clinical data gives ingredient suppliers and brands a stronger platform for technical discussions with formulators, regulatory teams, and customers.
The study is likely to increase attention on fractionated marine lipid technologies. As the supplement and functional nutrition markets become more crowded, differentiated lipid ingredients with credible human data will be attractive, provided they can be manufactured consistently and protected from oxidation throughout shelf life. EPAX Cetoleic 2040 gives Epax a stronger clinical story for omega-9 and omega-11 marine concentrates, and it adds another strand to the development of heart-health ingredients beyond conventional omega-3 positioning.
