HEALTH SPAN

The implementation of the proposed project foresees a close collaboration between the Research and Development Department of QUALIA PHARMA S.A. and the National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF). Initially, the company will select a series of plant extracts of commercial and scientific interest, following its standard product design and development process. Many of the extracts to be studied originate from endemic plant species—some well-known, others less so—already documented in the scientific literature for their beneficial properties and proven safety.

Subsequently, the Laboratory of Molecular Aging of the Institute of Chemical Biology (ICB/NHRF) will evaluate the effects of individual components of the developing formulation—extracts and active substances, alone or in combination, and at various concentrations—on a panel of standardized biomarkers related to cellular aging, using human fibroblast (HFL-1) cultures.

The results of these in vitro assays will guide the final formulation of the new products, determining the active ingredients to be included and their optimal concentrations. The efficacy of the newly developed products will then be further assessed through in vivo studies in healthy volunteers within a defined age range, designed and implemented in collaboration with the NHRF. These studies will investigate the impact of the formulations on a set of biomarkers and genetic loci associated with health maintenance, well-being, and longevity.

The in vivo results will refine the final product composition, optimizing the dosage of active ingredients. The outcomes of both in vitro and in vivo research will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, reinforcing the evidence for the products’ expected beneficial effects, validating existing health claims, and potentially establishing new ones.