Capsugel Awarded Contract for Mercola’s Krill Oil Line in Licaps® Capsule Technology

November 02, 2012

Formulation support and application-specific dosage forms aim to improve the effectiveness and shelf life of popular supplement products

Morristown, NJ, November 1, 2012 – Capsugel today announced it will provide formulation support and dosage delivery for the unique krill oil line and other key supplements for Mercola.com. Considered to be one of the top health and nutrition websites in the world, Mercola.com provides health articles, wellness products, and a widely-read natural health newsletter under the ownership and direction of Dr. Joseph M. Mercola, DO, an Illinois-based osteopathic physician.

Capsugel’s proprietary Licaps® dosage form technology was selected for many of Dr. Mercola’s supplements such as krill oil and ubiquinol.

“We are pleased to offer our targeted state-of-the-art solutions for Dr. Mercola’s supplement delivery challenges. Our cutting-edge formulation scientists and application-specific dosage forms aim to improve the effectiveness and shelf life of their popular supplement products. Our scalability for their significant supplement volume coupled with best-in-class service and quality,” said Peter Zambetti, Global Director of Business Development for Capsugel, “will be a win-win for Dr. Mercola and consumers alike.”

The Licaps dosage form’s unique odor protection system uses Fusion Technology™ to create a hermetically bonded capsule that effectively masks the strong taste and odor of krill oil, the rising star in the popular Omega-3 category.

“Krill oil contains a high concentration of phospholipids which poses manufacturing challenges in other dosage forms,” said Stan Glab, Formulator and New Product Development Manager for Capsugel. “The Licaps capsule technology, which flushes the capsule with nitrogen after filling to minimize oxygen exposure and aid in long term stability, coupled with our OceanCaps™ fish gelatin capsules, provide a unique all-marine product that provides a better oxygen barrier than softgels.”

Results of a Capsugel consumer survey reveal that twice as many consumers preferred krill oil delivered in Licaps capsule technology than other dosage forms when it came to odor and taste. Licaps were preferred 3 times more than softgels.

Dr. Mercola was drawn to Capsugel for its reputation for service and technology—offering a fully integrated program from capsule manufacturing, formulation development, to the finished, fused product. “They promote safety, bioavailability, manufacturing ease and cost-effectiveness for our products,” said Dr. Mercola, author of the New York Times best-seller The No-Grain Diet and whose website Mercola.com attracts over 6 million unique visitors per month. “Capsugel’s Licaps capsule Fusion Technology provides for top level product integrity and product differentiation for all types of formulations.”

About Capsugel
Capsugel is a global leader in innovative dosage forms and solutions for the healthcare industry. Offering a comprehensive array of products and services, from hard gelatin, liquid-filled, and vegetarian capsules, to innovative R&D product development services, Capsugel is at the forefront of drug and ingredient delivery innovation providing support to customers from formulation to final production. For more information, visit www.capsugel.com.

About Dr. Mercola and Mercola.com
Dr. Joseph Mercola’s mission is to bring people practical solutions to their health problems. A New York Times best-selling author, Dr. Mercola was voted the 2009 Ultimate Wellness Game Changer by the Huffington Post. He has been featured in the national media in such outlets as Time magazine and the LA times, CNN, Fox News, ABC News, the Today Show, The Dr. Oz Show and CBS’ Washington Unplugged.