Interview with Naveh Pharma: How do Overseas Health Food Brands Access China Market?

Naveh Pharma was established in 1996. It specializes in advanced R&D, manufacturing and distributing pharmaceutical and health-care products, and exploiting the Dead Sea's natural resources and minerals for health and medical purposes to improve quality of life and longevity.

We visited China in the 1990s and discovered a wonderful country with ancient and brilliant culture. The visit brought us to find a combination of Chinese science and knowledge with the Western one, resulting in the synergy expressed in the development of sophisticated, beneficial health products. We met a group of Chinese businessmen from the health sector at an exhibition in Germany and from there the relationships developed. 

It is a unique product developed by Naveh scientists in collaboration with Professor Lindberg, a global medical expert from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Together, we have developed a unique formula based on a patented Dead Sea Magnesium Molecule. The product is designed to prevent involuntary muscle contractions in legs called in medicine - Nocturnal Leg Cramps. That phenomena is prevalent among about 50% of people over 50 years of age and pregnant women.

When we launched it, people called our customer service asking suspiciously what's the miracle in it? People were afraid it's something narcotic…! When we said it's Magnesium, simple as that, they did not believe, they said they tried magnesium and it did not help.

There, we understood that this unique molecule as the highest intracellular absorption that make it superior to all other kinds of magnesium, and that's actually what makes ANTI LEG CRAMPS so effective. 

Getting filing approval took more than three years. The communication with Chinese authority was through our distributor in China doing tremendous job.

The hard part was the bureaucracy around such as the impossibility to receive electronic copies but only originals approved by Chinese embassy in Tel-Aviv, it's time consuming and costly! The other difficulty is in custom release of samples. This is actually the challenge we had to overcome without giving up in the middle. 

The name ANTI LEG CRAMPS is considered by some health ministry a medical claim, directing regulations to drug and not food supplement requiring documents that we cannot supply. Therefore, the name turned to be description of the supplements in matter of ingredients.

Here I must note that the name misses something as the molecule of the magnesium is unique and patented, Dead Sea origin is considered the most bioavailable magnesium which effects Nocturnal Leg cramps immediately from first night taken, in fact that is clinically proven.

Very good question. Until today, no one could prove that magnesium is better than placebo as a remedy to Nocturnal Leg Cramps. That is because the magnesium studied was un-absorbable thus not effective. We have conducted a huge double blind trial in six medical centers with hundreds of patients for 60 days, using Anti Leg Cramps Vs. Placebo.  

It's first study in history proved the efficacy of Magnesium in Anti Leg Cramps. The study is now in editing before publishing in a medical magazine. 

We didn't have to change the formula as it complies with Chinese regulations. Regarding regulatory differences, dealing with bureaucratic systems is something we are familiar with since it exists in many countries such as Eastern Europe and South America, the difference is that in those countries the process is combined with corruption and bribery, that drives you to give up. Luckily, we did not encounter corruption as such in China!

It is important to note that ANTI LEG CRAMPS is a dietary supplement that in most countries does not require approval at all except for quality tests.

I believe that's what will happen soon. We are now in a process consulting now with our distributor in China to find the best ways to promote and sell the supplement in China.