Good News｜Hainan Huayan Has Been Granted a New Invention Patent for Body Iron Homeostasis Regulator

Hainan Huayan, in collaboration with Ocean University of China, has obtained an invention patent: A Regulator for Body Iron Homeostasis and Its Application (ZL 2023 1 1339736.7)

Recently, the invention patent titled A Regulator for Body Iron Homeostasis and Its Application has been authorized by the National Intellectual Property Administration. The patent number is ZL 2023 1 1339736.7. The patentees are Ocean University of China and Hainan Huayan Collagen Technology Co., Ltd.[1]

This is the first invention patent focusing on iron nutrition among Hainan Huayan’s more than 130 authorized patents. Behind this achievement lies our 22 years of technological accumulation in the field of small-molecule peptides.

01 Iron nutrition: a health topic underestimated by many

Iron is an essential trace element for the human body. It participates not only in hemoglobin synthesis but also in oxygen transport and energy metabolism. Neither iron deficiency nor iron overload is desirable — hence the body has a sophisticated regulatory system for iron.

Nevertheless, insufficient iron intake is far more prevalent than most people realize:

• · Approximately 20%: The prevalence of anemia among Chinese residents stands at around 20%, affecting hundreds of millions of people;
• · Approximately 36.5%: The anemia rate among pregnant women reaches 36.5%, making maternal groups a key population for iron nutrition management;
• · 20.61%: The overall prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia among Chinese children under 6 years old is 20.61%, rising to 29.96% in rural areas.

Data sources: Report on Chinese Residents’ Nutrition and Chronic Diseases (2025)[2]; a systematic review and meta-analysis covering 23 studies with 93,570 children[3]

These figures illustrate a simple truth: iron nutrition is not a niche subject but a public nutrition issue that cannot be ignored.

High market demand, however, does not mean the problem is easy to solve. The conventional iron supplementation approach is “direct iron delivery”. Yet iron absorption and distribution in the human body are affected by many factors. Supplemented iron does not equal bioavailable iron. For this reason, the industry has been seeking more rational solutions.

Note: The above data are cited from public reports and literature, only to illustrate the current status of nutritional demand, and are unrelated to any specific product.

02 The core idea of this patent: not “iron supplementation”, but helping the body utilize iron efficiently

This newly granted invention patent on iron homeostasis regulation adopts a distinct technical route.

According to patent documentation, legume gum or its protein fractions can activate the HIF (hypoxia-inducible factor) signaling pathway, upregulate the expression of intestinal epithelial iron absorption and transport proteins, inhibit excessive expression of hepatic hepcidin, and promote the production of erythropoietin in the liver and kidneys. Its application scenarios cover food, health food, feed and pharmaceuticals, and it can also be combined with more than 20 types of iron preparations[1].

Simply put, it does not transport iron into the body directly. Instead, it modulates the body’s intrinsic system responsible for iron recognition, absorption and distribution.

Note: The above is the technical description extracted from patent literature, used to explain the content of the invention and does not constitute any product efficacy claim.

03 The mechanism validated at the molecular level

The mechanism stated in the patent is only a conclusion. To make it credible, it needs to be resolved down to the molecular level.

The same research group jointly established by Hainan Huayan and Ocean University of China achieved its first breakthrough in 2024, with findings published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry[4].

Researchers first broke the linkage between polysaccharides and proteins in gum arabic via alkaline hydrolysis to obtain protein fractions, followed by tryptic digestion and sequence identification using LC-MS/MS. This workflow aligns perfectly with the “separation or degradation” wording in the patent claims[1].

In cell experiments, three dipeptides were identified: Hyp-Hyp, Pro-Hyp and Ser-Hyp. They exhibit favorable binding affinity with PHD3, thereby inhibiting PHD enzymes and stabilizing HIF2α — the very first step in the signaling pathway summarized in the patent abstract[4].

Subsequently, downstream iron transporters respond accordingly: the expression of DMT1, Dcytb, ferroportin and hephaestin are all upregulated. In a rat single-dose gavage test at 0.6 g/kg and 1.2 g/kg, the duodenal DMT1 expression increased to 2.0-fold and 2.6-fold of the control group two hours after administration[4].

The results verify the mechanism at the molecular level: hydroxyproline-rich peptides derived from gum arabic inhibit PHD enzymes and stabilize HIF2α, thereby upregulating iron transporters including DMT1, Dcytb, ferroportin and hephaestin. Three active dipeptides (Hyp-Hyp, Pro-Hyp, Ser-Hyp) were detected in cell models. In vivo responses of this pathway were further observed in rat trials.

Note: The above are research results from cell and animal experiments, used to explain the mechanism of action, and do not represent conclusions on human efficacy.

04 From academic paper to marketplace: three challenging development stages

For a food ingredient technology, there are generally three stages before it can be launched commercially after publication.

Stage 1: Mechanism validation. Researchers verify the phenomenon step by step from cell models to animal models, confirming reproducibility. This stage answers whether the technology is scientifically valid.

Stage 2: Process scaling-up. Gram-scale preparation in the laboratory is not simply proportional to ton-scale mass production on production lines. Every parameter including enzymatic hydrolysis duration, pH control, membrane flux and drying temperature must be re-validated after scaling. This stage answers whether stable mass production is feasible.

Stage 3: Standard and evaluation system. Corporate standards, product specifications and test methods lay the foundation for long-term consistent supply of ingredients. This stage answers whether quality can be reliably guaranteed.

These three stages grow increasingly time-consuming. Therefore, it usually takes three to five years for an ingredient technology from project initiation to formal market launch. For an invention patent, this is the inevitable journey from legal protection to commercially viable products.

05 University-enterprise collaboration, complementary strengths

The way a patent is jointly attributed often reflects the real collaboration model behind R&D. This patent has two patentees: Ocean University of China and Hainan Huayan. The inventor list includes professors and students from the university research group as well as Hainan Huayan’s own R&D staff. This is not a technology transfer where the university finishes research and the enterprise purchases the outcome; it is a co-development achievement from start to finish[1].

The three stages fit perfectly into the division of labor in this university-enterprise partnership. During mechanism validation, Ocean University of China excels at fundamental research: clarifying the exact signaling pathway, dose-dependent responses and repeatability under varied conditions. When it comes to process scaling and standardization, Hainan Huayan takes the lead: verifying scalability, batch-to-batch stability and cost control. Any missing link will trap the technology in papers rather than turning it into usable products.

Hainan Huayan is capable of taking over this stage because these processes are built upon our 22-year expertise. Hydroxyproline-containing peptides are characteristic sequences of collagen peptides. The alcohol precipitation, membrane separation, alkaline hydrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis mentioned in the patent are well-established(targeted enzymatic cleavage) and purification technologies we have mastered for years [1].

Ultimately, technological empowerment of industries must be reflected in tangible manufactured products. R&D only lands successfully when it translates into stable production capacity, unified standards and dependable supply. Universities conduct in-depth basic research, while enterprises focus on scalable production and commercialization. Only within such a collaborative chain can a patent evolve from a certificate into a commercially available ingredient.

Solid application is built on robust raw material capabilities. As a National High-tech Enterprise, one of Hainan Province’s first High-tech “Gazelle Enterprises”, and a National Intellectual Property Advantage Enterprise, Hainan Huayan has been deeply engaged in small-molecule peptides for 22 years. We hold more than 130 patents and over 150 corporate standards. We have participated in drafting 4 national standards and 2 industrial standards for collagen peptides, and won the First Prize of Hainan Provincial Technological Invention Award.

Supported by the Hainan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Biological Peptides, covering nearly 3,000 ㎡, Hainan Huayan maintains in-depth cooperation with more than ten research institutions including Ocean University of China, Third Institute of Oceanography, MNR, and Hainan University. We have built six production bases in Haikou (Hainan), Wenchang (Hainan), Liaocheng (Shandong), Luyi (Henan), Fuyang (Anhui) and Bangkok (Thailand). The group and its products are certified by US FDA registration, cGMP, ISO22000, HACCP, FSSC22000, MSC, HALAL and KOSHER. Our customers are spread across more than 50 countries and regions worldwide.

Going forward, Hainan Huayan will uphold our mission of “devoting ourselves to the collagen industry and safeguarding human health”. We will deepen industry-university-research collaborative innovation, and deliver more robust R&D and stricter quality standards, bringing Chinese collagen peptides to the global market.

The true value of an invention patent never lies in the number printed on the certificate. It lies in its potential to move from theory to production lines and finally to the marketplace.

After 22 years, Hainan Huayan continues to expand its technological expertise in small-molecule peptides.

References

[1] Wu Haohao, Li Shiyang, Jiang Yuxin, et al. A Regulator for Body Iron Homeostasis and Its Application: China, ZL 2023 1 1339736.7[P]. Authorization Publication Date: 2026-10-13.

[2] National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China. Report on Chinese Residents’ Nutrition and Chronic Diseases (2025)[R]. Beijing: National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, 2025.

[3] Li W, Gong Y, Lai Y, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and associated factors of iron-deficiency anemia among Chinese children under 6 years of age[J]. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 2025, 13: 1674121.

[4] Li S, Xing W, Gang Y, et al. Gum Arabic-Derived Hydroxyproline-Rich Peptides Stimulate Intestinal Nonheme Iron Absorption via HIF2α-Dependent Upregulation of Iron Transport Proteins[J]. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2024, 72: 3622-3632.