For Episode #191 of the PricePlow Podcast, we explore one of the most interesting and scientifically-rigorous appetite control stories we’ve encountered on the podcast yet. Mike sits down with Sarah Kennedy, founder and CEO of Calocurb, and Dr. Edward Walker, the lead scientist behind the development of Amarasate®, the natural hop extract at the heart of Calocurb’s formula.
This isn’t your typical supplement origin story. Instead of a garage startup or bodybuilding brand, Calocurb emerged from a $20 million New Zealand government research grant specifically designed to develop a plant-based obesity treatment.
Calocurb: From New Zealand Science to Commercial Reality
Dr. Walker takes us through the fascinating scientific journey that began in 2009, when the New Zealand government funded research to find better alternatives to weight loss drugs. His team screened over 1,000 plant compounds, searching for those that could trigger the release of appetite-suppressing hormones. After years of research, including two years spent collecting intestinal biopsies from hospital patients, they identified a specific New Zealand hop variety that produces remarkable results. The clinical data shows Amarasate® increases GLP-1 and CCK levels sixfold over baseline, reduces hunger by 30%, decreases cravings by 40%, and cuts caloric intake by 18%.
Sarah Kennedy licensed the technology in 2017 and launched Calocurb in 2018, years before the GLP-1 injectable phenomenon made appetite control a household topic. Today, Calocurb is positioned as a natural GLP-1 activator that works three ways:
- as a standalone appetite suppressant,
- as an adjunct to reduce injectable dosages and side effects, and critically,
- as post-cycle therapy to prevent the rebound weight gain that occurs when people stop taking GLP-1 drugs.
With new clinical trial results expected from a 150-patient, six-month study, Calocurb represents a potent bridge between traditional supplements and pharmaceutical interventions in the weight management space.
https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/calocurb-191
Video: Calocurb: Natural GLP-1 Activation Through Bitter Hops Science
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c17t11gwlNc
Detailed Show Notes: Sarah Kennedy and Dr. Edward Walker on Calocurb® and Amarasate®
- (0:00) – Introductions: A Different Kind of Supplement Story
- (1:00) – Dr. Walker’s Background: From Berry Compounds to Gut Science
- (3:00) – The New Zealand Government Grant: $20 Million to Solve Obesity
- (5:50) – How New Zealand Funds Primary Research
- (7:15) – The Government-to-Commercial Pathway
- (10:35) – The Pre-Ozempic Marketing Challenge
- (13:00) – The Timeline of GLP-1 Knowledge: 2009 vs. Today
- (15:45) – The “Bitter Brake” Theory: Location Matters
- (17:10) – Two Years in Hospital Waiting Rooms Collecting Biopsies
- (20:20) – Bitter Taste Receptors Throughout the Gut
- (22:30) – Why Plants and Humans Evolved This Way
- (24:15) – Why Bitter Detection in the Small Intestine?
- (26:15) – Were CCK and GLP-1 Well-Known in 2009?
- (27:45) – Screening 1,000 Plant Compounds: The Lab Work
- (29:45) – The Four Finalists (and Why Three Failed)
- (30:45) – Why Hops Won: Safety, Stability, and Supply Chain
- (33:30) – The Advantage of Industry-Aware Research
- (35:30) – …
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