How it all began

It is now over a decade ago that Igennus' CEO, Dr Jav Nazemi, found out that his daughter had a heart condition known as incompetence and stenosis of the mitral valve. Quite uncommon in the UK, Rheumatic fever had damaged her heart valve such that it became narrowed and unable to close properly. This condition can cause backflow of blood through the heart, whereby clots can occur. In Jav's daughter's case, blood clots did form and passed through the body, settling on the optic nerve which caused blind spots in her vision. Fortunately for the family, MRI scans showed that there were no clots in the brain. They remained concerned, however, about the implications of her heart condition and how it could be managed and/or treated.

Jav telephoned friends asking whether anyone might know someone in the medical field who could offer advice. Eventually one friend recommended that Jav call a helpful doctor that he knew. The doctor (now a Professor at Hammersmith Hospital), namely Dr Puri, could not have been more approachable. After telling Dr Puri about his daughter's valve condition and the theory of the blood clot causing the black spots in her vision, Jav was a little surprised when Dr Puri advised that his daughter should take cod liver oil capsules. Jav recalls Dr Puri saying that the omega-3 would help the blood cells to be more flexible and less likely to clot.

As well as being hugely grateful for the advice, Jav was encouraged that Dr Puri had suggested a natural solution, without the side effects of the aspirin that the doctors at the hospital had recommended. The family, where possible, opt for nature's remedies; firm believers in prevention, they eat a largely Mediterranean diet and rarely need to visit the GP. The omega-3 that Dr Puri had advised further fuelled Jav's interest in natural health; wanting to learn as much as he could about the health-giving properties of fish oil, Jav would read any material he could get his hands on - particularly if it might help his daughter.

His daughter stable, Jav became aware a few years later that Dr Puri was doing research with fish oils and getting remarkable results. This was further corroborated by the American Heart Association which was extolling the virtues of omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish. In following Puri's research, Jav found that Puri and other leading researchers were beginning to differentiate between different types of omega-3. They were no longer simply suggesting omega-3 was beneficial, but a specific omega-3 fatty acid known as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) possessed remarkable properties including thinning the blood. Although DHA (docosahexaenoic acid - another omega-3) was known to be essential for health as it plays a structural role in the body and brain, there was growing evidence that when taking both in combination, the DHA was inhibiting the beneficial effects of the EPA. This was found in conditions such as depression, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and autistic spectrum disorder.

… the body requires a specific ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for the optimum functioning of the body and brain

Jav's entrepreneurial side spurred him on to formulate and produce a fatty acid supplement that would outweigh any other in terms of ratio, concentration and purity

Jav was determined to find the right supplement for his daughter. His wife, a long-term supporter of evening primrose oil (containing the long-chain omega-6 GLA) suggested that the supplement should combine omega-3 and omega-6. His wife was very particular about the EPO their daughter should take, however. It had to be organic, virgin evening primrose oil obtained from the first cold-pressing. Indeed, according to Puri the body requires a specific ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for the optimum functioning of the body and brain. Puri has since discovered the family of botanical triterpenes - free-radical scavengers - present only in organic cold-pressed virgin EPO. In his search for the right supplement, Jav discovered that a DHA-free omega-3 & omega-6 supplement did not exist. It appeared that he had found a gap in the market.

Jav's entrepreneurial side spurred him on to formulate and produce a fatty acid supplement that would outweigh any other in terms of ratio, concentration and purity - one that he and his wife would be 100% happy giving their daughter. Just as the market moved on from cod liver oil to more concentrated preparations, Jav pioneered a unique pharmaceutical-grade formulation which has changed the landscape of the omega supplement market today. Realising that Vegepa was unique, he immediately applied for a patent which was approved and granted at the end of 2005. Igennus has since grown rapidly, and is taken by thousands of people who report improvements in a variety of conditions including depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, ADHD, as well as joint and heart problems.