zolvia publishes independent human clinical trial results ahead of global rollout

zolvia, the Dublin-based formulation technology company backed by Enterprise Ireland, has published the results of an independent human clinical trial, marking a significant milestone as it prepares to take its technology to global food, drink, and supplement manufacturers.

In a recently undertaken independent controlled human trial, zolvia, found that that its flagship ingredient, z-curcumin, was absorbed 71 times better than standard curcumin extract. Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is widely used in supplements but is notoriously poorly absorbed by the body, making it a strong test case for the company’s technology.

The clinical publication is the first stage of zolvia’s commercial rollout. The company is scaling production of z-curcumin alongside four additional ingredients, with samples now available to manufacturers for evaluation.

zolvia will showcase its full platform internationally for the first time at SupplySide West in Las Vegas in October 2026, one of the ingredient industry’s largest global trade events, ahead of commercial agreements opening in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Founded by Nicholas Deeney, Nasir Arafath and Ferdia Doherty, the company rebranded from Biovit to zolvia earlier this year as it evolved from a single-ingredient business into a broader formulation technology platform. It is backed by Enterprise Ireland and a number of angel investors.

The publication of the trial outcome is a notable step for an Irish deep-science and tech company still in its early stages. Rather than lead with marketing claims, zolvia made the strategic decision to invest in independent human clinical evidence in advance of bringing its technology to market, a standard of proof still uncommon among ingredient technology companies at this stage of growth.

zolvia’s platform is designed to solve the problems that prohibit good active ingredients from working properly once they’re in a finished product, namely issues with absorption, solubility, and shelf stability.

The platform is now being applied across ingredients including creatine, CoQ10 and quercetin, with a fourth capability, controlled release, currently in development.

zolvia’s technology also unlocks one of sports nutrition’s most stubborn problems: a truly shelf-stable, ready-to-drink creatine. Creatine is among the most proven ingredients in the category but breaks down in liquid, which is why it’s still sold mostly as a powder. Solving problems of exactly this kind, at commercial scale, is where zolvia believes its platform has the greatest impact.

Nicholas Deeney Co-Founder and CEO of zolvia, said: “We wanted to build a science-led Irish company that could stand over its technology with real evidence, not just claims. This study is proof that what we’ve built works in people, not only in a lab, and it’s a foundation we’re proud to have developed here in Dublin.

“Our ambition is for zolvia to be a genuinely global platform, and this milestone is the first step in bringing that to manufacturers everywhere.”

zolvia is still an early-stage, pre-commercial company, but says the milestone reflects the evidence-first approach it intends to carry as it scales internationally, working with R&D, formulation and procurement teams at food, beverage and supplement manufacturers through ingredient supply, co-development and licensing agreements.

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