Napo Pharmaceuticals

products

Sustainability

Crofelemer is a complex mixture of proanthocyanidin polymers that the company believes cannot be synthesized using current manufacturing techniques. Dr. Steven King, Napo's Vice President of Sustainable Supply and Ethnobotanical Research, began working on the creation of the long-term sustainable supply of latex in 1990-1991. This 15-year time period enabled the establishment of an extensive well-researched supply network in multiple regions within multiple countries. The company believes that the supply for a billion-dollar drug market is and will be available on an on-going basis.

Crofelemer is extracted from the latex of the Croton lechleri tree, which is an abundant, fast-growing Amazonian pioneer tree species widespread in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. The latex is sustainably harvested by local peoples who have been trained over the past decade with the aim of ensuring a high degree of quality and ecological integrity. Environmental and political problems in South America such as El Nino or the changes in government in the above mentioned countries have not caused any supply disruptions. In fact, the governments of these countries are seeking additional and alternative sources of income for the rural populations. Several international aid and development agencies have provided financial support to stimulate the wide spread production of this species.

Napo has entered into an agreement with the Healing Forest Conservancy (a not-for-profit organization established to benefit indigenous cultures and developing country communities) for the purpose of enabling Napo to recognize the value to the company of the intellectual contribution of indigenous knowledge.