Nektium, which offers premium botanical extracts, has developed a suite of proprietary manufacturing technologies to enhance efficacy, stability, and versatility of its ingredients.

Smartek by Nektium is a group of delivery technologies designed to provide manufacturers with high-quality, science-backed ingredients that offer maximum value and ease of use in a wide range of formulations, the company said.

Developed in-house by Nektium’s research teams, the technology shields and stabilizes key bioactive compounds in botanicals to ensure their efficacy is maintained throughout the manufacturing process and into the final product.

Smartek utilizes combinations of technologies including multi-stage microencapsulation, molecular and matrix inclusion systems, and controlled ionization. The combinations are selected for each botanical ingredient to deliver optimal efficacy, enhanced physicochemical properties, and more neutral sensory characteristics.

As well as maximizing health benefits at the lowest possible dose, Smartek increases shelf life and provides more versatility in formulation, supporting innovation in formats such as gummies and beverages, the company said.

“Smartek by Nektium brings the best out of botanicals and helps manufacturers innovate smarter and faster,” said Nektium CEO Miguel Jimenez. “We’re using innovative combinations of smart technologies to offer potent functional benefits in convenient low doses that fit seamlessly into on-trend delivery formats.”

Smartek has already been used to develop a number of products in Nektium’s botanical extracts portfolio. These include:

• Vanizem: A fast-acting mood- and sleep-enhancing extract of Aframomum melegueta (Grains of Paradise), which is extracted and processed using a patented, complex coacervation technology. This optimizes delivery at a low dose (100-150 mg) by stabilizing the key bioactive vanilloid components.

• Zynamite S: A fully water-soluble, neutral-taste, low-dose formulation of Nektium’s Zynamite, a nootropic for cognitive performance and non-stim mental energy.

Additional product launches using Smartek are already in development.

“We’re renowned for providing premium botanicals that address key needs such as cognition, sleep, stress, and physical performance,” said Jimenez. “With Smartek by Nektium, we’re opening up exciting new possibilities in finished product innovation and taking efficacy and stability to new heights.”

Beatriz Ercilla Negrin, director of quality assurance and regulatory at Nektium, said Smartek is a testament to the company’s philosophy of combining science-based innovation with a foundation of in-house manufacturing and quality control.

“Our commitment to quality is embedded in every step of our vertically integrated supply chain, from sourcing to finished product. By controlling the entire process and leveraging advanced technologies, we provide customers with botanical ingredients that deliver on the promise of quality, traceability, health benefits, and efficacy.”