Currently based in Connecticut, Zhao set up her nutraceutical start-up Vavitas in New Jersey - a key biopharma and life sciences hub in the U.S. - last year.
Vavitas products are currently on a pilot launch in the U.S. through its official website, with plans to enter online marketplaces, TikTok and China via cross-border e-commerce and private domains.
In an interview with NutraIngredients at the “Geromedicine: Unlock Healthy Longevity Conference Supplements & Repurposed Drugs”, Zhao, who has 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and pharmacy sectors, hopes to champion preventive care through her nutraceutical start-up.
“What I have noticed is that many Americans - both young and old - as well as Chinese in America have the habit of taking supplements,” she told NI at the conference organized by the Academy for Healthy Longevity, part of the National University of Singapore’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.
Zhao, who relocated to the U.S. 16 years ago to accompany her children for higher education, also noticed a higher uptake of an active lifestyle and healthier diets in the U.S. In contrast, some popular Chinese cuisines can be high in oil, salt and seasoning.
“There are four key areas to improve health, from diet, exercise, supplementation, to sleep, and through Vavitas, I am improving health through dietary supplementation, so that people fall sick less, fall sick later and have a better quality of life for a longer time,” she said.
Formulation pointers
Through the guidance of scientific advisor Dr. Joanna Pawlak, Zhao said Vavitas has formulated five products based on market needs and were ingredient-driven.
They include nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) capsules, fish oil softgels, vitamin D3+K2 softgels, collagen peptide powder sachet and ubiquinol softgel.
“These products were designed based on feedback and demand from healthcare practitioners, while products like fish oil and vitamin D are the regular, standard supplements range seen in the market,” Zhao said. “However, I place a lot of emphasis on the raw materials; I would only proceed to manufacture the products if I have managed to find quality raw materials.”
She gave the example of Vavitas ubiquinol softgel. Claiming to support heart health, the product is formulated with Kaneka Ubiquinol from Japan, which Zhao stressed was supported by over 30 years of research and 85 human clinical studies.
The company, which manufactures its products in New Jersey through OEM, also uses branded collagen peptide Verisol by German firm Gelita AG and AbinoNutraNMN by Albinopharm Inc.
With populations in developed economies rapidly aging, she said that the company’s new products would cater to this consumer group.
“There is currently an aging population, which is why our products were designed to meet the needs of the elderly population. We also hope to gain new insights through the conference to guide our future product development,” she said.
