Kyowa Hakko Bio reveals new EMEA hub and sharpened cognitive health focus

Nicola Urso, the newly appointed president of Kyowa Hakko Bio Italia (KHIT), told NutraIngredients that the firm’s strategic priorities are to expand into key markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) with a more cohesive regional mandate, accelerate digital transformation and invest in “building the next generation of scientific and commercial leaders.”

“Ultimately, my vision is for KHIT to be recognized as a science-driven, customer-centric and growth-focused organization, capable of turning differentiated science into long-term value for our partners across EMEA,” he said.

KHIT will increase its focus on its cognitive health ingredient, Cognizin Citicoline, as part of the company’s health science growth strategy.

“Citicoline represents one of the most compelling growth opportunities in the Health Science and dietary supplement sectors, driven by several converging trends in consumer behavior, science and regulation,” Urso said.

The product has been authorized as an EU novel food for over 10 years, offering brands “a high degree of confidence” and aligning with an increased consumer interest in cognitive health.

“According to various market analyses, the global Citicoline supplement market is valued at around US$ 0.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to more than double by 2035, with sustained CAGR in the high single digits,” Urso added.

Citicoline also has emerging applications for its neuroprotective properties in eye health.

“This dual relevance, cognitive and visual neuroprotection, significantly broadens the ingredient’s potential and positions it as a truly multifunctional, science-driven asset.” Urso said.

Navigating the regulatory landscape

The mind health market is surging, with data revealing that supplements targeting cognitive function and mood accounted for €940 million in Western Europe in 2025, equating to 8.3% of the total supplement market.

Although consumer demand for mind health supplements is clear, brands are still facing obstacles in marketing their products in the EU due to regulatory constraints.

EU regulations strictly control the health claims companies can make, prohibiting any unapproved statements about the effects of ingredients on mental well-being or cognition. EFSA has authorized a few specific claims related to cognitive function and the maintenance of normal mental performance, but statements about enhancement and therapeutic effects, such as stress relief and improved mood, are still disallowed.

To address some of these concerns, KHIT will establish a dedicated scientific marketing function, headed by Dr. Eri Nakazaki, senior manager and head of scientific marketing and business development.

Nakazaki told NutraIngredients that one of the biggest challenges in the industry is translating robust scientific evidence into compliant messaging that resonates with consumers.

“For example, research on Cognizin has explored areas such as memory and attention, but these findings must be communicated in a way that is relatable while remaining strictly evidence-based and compliant with EU regulations.”

“Cognitive health claims are particularly complex because cognition spans multiple domains—attention, memory, executive function and language—each requiring distinct endpoints and validated tools,” she added. “This makes broad statements like ‘improves cognitive function’ highly sensitive and difficult to define precisely under EU regulations.”

Nakazaki noted that while numerous studies have explored citicoline’s potential roles in cognitive performance and eye health, the findings remain under scientific investigation, and therefore, there are currently no EFSA-approved health claims for memory or cognition.

Kyowa is working to improve consumer education across Europe and investing in research to strengthen the evidence base.

“At the same time, Cognizin is a global brand actively expanding in the U.S. and Asia, so we aim to work closely with global colleagues to build a consistent brand narrative while tailoring materials to local market needs,” Nakazaki added.

Looking ahead

While underscoring Kyowa’s commitment to citicoline and regulatory issues, Nakazaki noted that Kyowa Hakko Bio is a Japan-origin company built on fermentation biotechnology.

“We have advanced not only fermentation-based ingredient research but also functional science and product application development,” she said.

“Looking ahead, KHIT will scale as Kyowa’s EMEA gateway, driving scientific marketing across cognition, eye health and new functional domains while reinforcing global brand synergy for Cognizin,” she said, noting that plans include active participation in major industry exhibitions such as Vitafoods Europe and CPHI Global.