SLIMALUMA is a novel appetite suppressant introduced recently into the market by Gencoor Pacific Inc. It is a proprietary extract of the herb Caralluma Fimbriata [ Roxb ], which is a succulent used for centuries by locals in India for appetite suppression.

It has been clinically tested for efficacy by two human clinical trials, one in India and one in USA. It's safety has been validated by detailed toxicity studies like Acute Oral Toxicity Study, Mutagenicity Study and Chronic Toxicity Study, all conducted as per exacting OECD Guidelines.

Dr.Ronald.M.Lawrence and Dr.Mark Stengler will present the science and efficacy of SLIMALUMA at the Natural Products Expo West show at the Anaheim Convention Center, on March 25th at 3 PM in Room 207-C.

Dr.Ron Lawrence is a former Assistant Clinical Professor, University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California and Former Member, National Institutes of Health, Washington.D.C. He is an author of over 30 scientific and medical papers in various areas of medicine and as authored 6 books on various aspects of Lifestyle Management.

Mark Stengler, ND, is a licensed naturopathic physician, author and lecturer with expertise in nutrition, herbal therapy, vitamin therapy, homeopathy, natural hormone replacement and integrated medicine.Dr. Stengler also an associate clinical professor at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, and served on a medical advisory committee for the Yale University Complementary Medicine Outcomes Research Project.

Dr. Stengler is the author of the Bottom Line/NATURAL HEALING newsletter, and 15 books, including two best sellers, "The Natural Physician's Healing Therapies" and "Prescription for Natural Cures." He is a frequent contributor to leading health magazines, and a popular expert medical source on television, including FOX, CBS and NBC affiliates. He has also been involved in two PBS documentaries on natural medicine: "7 Steps to Perfect Health" and "Supercharge Your Immune System."

Visit the lecture to learn about SLIMALUMA. Visit the product website www.slimaluma.com

Gencor's SLIMALUMA Chosen for Presentation at First World

The First World Congress for Therapies Against Obesity, “Anti-Obesity 2006 “ is to take place in the Pasteur Institute in Paris, France, on May 18th and 19th 2006. Gencor's SLIMALUMA has been chosen for presentation during the conference as a Novel Natural Alternative to combating Obesity.

This is an unique recognition for SLIMALUMA and the science behind it.

The clinical trials done on SLIMALUMA were also accepted for presentation in the 18th International Congress of Nutrition held in Durban, South Africa from 19th – 23rd September 2005 and the abstract of the study was published in The Official South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition in September 2005. Visit the website

http://www.isanh.com/anti-obesity/abstracts.php

Patent Issued for SLIMALUMA

"Overall we have our own niches," managing director RV Venkatesh told NutraIngredients-USA.com. "We can compliment each other because we don't directly compete."

Venkatesh admitted that his company is vying for the same market share as Lipid Nutrition with PinnoThin, but he said: "I think the market is big enough for both."

According to Euromonitor International the US accounts for 63 percent of the world slimming products market, worth $4.34bn at retail. The world market size is estimated to be $6.84bn.

Euromonitor defines slimming products as slimming tablets, slimming teas and meal replacement slimming products.

There are also a number of herbal supplement products on the market containing whole Hoodia in a powdered form, but since the P57 extract has been found to be the active compound responsible for its appetite suppressant properties, they are unlikely to be as effective.

Moreover the popularity of Hoodia gordonii, combined with a limited supply from the Kalahari and difficulties in authenticating the origin of plants, has led to the marketing of some products (particularly those sold over the Internet), that either contain very little of the plant or contain a different variety that does not have the active component.

As for Slimaluma, Gencor has conducted two human clinical trials and three toxicity studies on Slimaluma, and has obtained a patent to protected its use of the plant in this way.

The precise mechanism of action is not known, but the company said: "It is postulated that the pregnane glycosides and perhaps other constituents in Caralluma fimbriata prevent fat accumulation via blocking citrate lyase. This would be similar to the mechanisms proposed for another product from India, Garcinia cambogia." While plant-derived appetite suppressants have also been used in some pharmaceutical drugs, they are not regarded as direct competition for Slimuluma either since they are regulated by FDA as drugs rather than dietary supplements, and are therefore aimed at a different sector of the market – patients rather than consumers.

Ventakesh said that Gencor Pacific will first market Slimaluma in the US – not only because of the sheer size of the market, but also because of its trend-setting nature.

"If a product is successful in the US, that transfers to other markets," he said.

But Venkatesh adds that the US is a nation particularly in need of weight-loss.

"Obesity and weight are one of the biggest problems in the US," said Venkatesh, "The quantities of servings in the US are so big."

Appetite suppressants can be useful to people who are making an effort to eat more healthily and control portions. Hunger is a major factor in causing dieters to break with their regime, so if that is under control they have a greater chance of sticking with it. The company is hoping to achieve generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status in the next few months and says it will use this paperwork to get novel food status in Europe.

Caralluma Fimbriata's historic use as a food meant that the company did not have to register Slimaluma as a new dietary ingredient (NDI), a process that is necessary for any ingredient that was not consumed in the US prior to October 1994.

By the end of this month, there will be 12 consumer products in the US and Canada containing Slimaluma, with 25 expected by the end of 2006. Products from Country-Life Vitamins and Genaslim are already on the market. Gencor is looking to take Slimaluma beyond the US as soon as possible, said Venkatesh; the company has also applied for food for specified health use (FOSHU) status in Japan.

As a leader in the industry, Gencor has conducted extensive research and published several study reports on the effectiveness and safety of Caralluma fimbriata extract.

Federal Labs and Nature's Thyme each advertise and sell a non-extract Caralluma fimbriata powder product. Gencor became aware of products from these companies when it learned that each company was using Gencor's Caralluma extract studies and reports in connection with the sale of Federal Lab's and Nature's Thyme's Caralluma fimbriata non-extract products.

Gencor is concerned that companies and consumers are being misled into believing that Federal Lab's and Nature's Thyme's crude powder products are the same as or equivalent to Gencor's extract.

"It is terribly misleading to base and advertise claims about your product on studies that have not relevancy to your product,' said Rakesh Amin of Amin Hallihan, LLC and Gencor's legal representative. "Using Gencor's studies in connection with Federal Lab's and Nature's Thyme's byproducts is like using studies on apples to make health claims about oranges," added Amin.

Gencor is also suing for copyright infringement to stop the two companies from copying and distributing their reports. Federal Lab's and Nature's Thyme both distribute marketing materials to potential customers containing lab reports and other literature.

"Gencor was astonished to see that Federal Lab was distributing entire copies of reports and other literature on Caralluma fimbriata extract that were developed by Gencor," Amin said. "We asked Federal Labs to stop using Gencor's reports but they have not responded in writing," added Amin. "However it is telling about the merits of Gencor's claims that Federal Labs removed a link from their web site which linked to an online copy of Gencor's report soon after a cease and desist letter was mailed to them," noted Amin.

Gencor overall seeks an injunction, corrective advertising, damages and attorney fees.

This re-inforces Gencor's effort in innovation and development of new functional ingredients for lifestyle management.