Qunol
A 2007-founded CoQ10 and turmeric specialist built by Quten Research Institute, sold to Sanofi in 2023 for a deal reportedly worth over $1 billion.
Founded
2007
Headquarters
Pine Brook, New Jersey
Ownership
Sanofi, which acquired Qunol from its parent, Quten Research Institute, in a deal announced in July 2023
Verification
Markets a proprietary water-and-fat-soluble CoQ10 formulation for improved absorption; no USP Verified or NSF certification found across the line
History
Qunol was founded in 2007 by Quten Research Institute with the specific goal of making a more bioavailable form of CoQ10 than the standard oil-based softgel. The company built its identity around a water-and-fat-soluble CoQ10 formulation it says improves absorption over conventional forms, and grew to become, by its own and industry accounts, the top-selling CoQ10 brand in the U.S.
Qunol expanded into turmeric curcumin supplements starting in 2018, following the same enhanced-absorption positioning, and later into magnesium and other healthy-aging categories.
In July 2023, Sanofi announced it would acquire Qunol from Quten Research Institute in a deal reported to be worth at least $1 billion, folding the brand into Sanofi's U.S. consumer healthcare division to build out its position in the vitamin, mineral, and supplement category.
Why it is trusted
- +Now owned by Sanofi, a major pharmaceutical company with far more regulatory and quality-system infrastructure than a typical supplement house, which raises the bar for manufacturing consistency even without a specific supplement-industry seal.
- +Built its brand around a specific, testable formulation claim (enhanced solubility) rather than vague wellness language, and cites survey data (an IQVIA ProVoice survey) on cardiologist recommendations, though that is a marketing survey, not independent lab verification.
- +No USP Verified or NSF-certified products were found across Qunol's line as of this writing, its absorption and quality claims are not independently audited to the standard of the strongest third-party programs.
- +As with most single-category specialists, Qunol has less public track record on handling recalls or lab-testing controversies than larger, longer-running brands, which cuts both ways: less controversy, but also less external scrutiny.
Where we would be careful
- −"Enhanced absorption" and "cardiologist recommended" claims are based on brand-commissioned or brand-cited studies and surveys rather than independent, peer-reviewed head-to-head testing published by a neutral third party, read the specific citations before assuming a settled scientific consensus.
- −No public USP or NSF certification found; ask the brand for a batch certificate of analysis if third-party purity verification matters to you.
- −Ownership changed in 2023; watch for reformulation or manufacturing changes following the Sanofi integration.
Where Qunol ranks
Sources
- CB Insights company profile, Qunol: https://www.cbinsights.com/company/qunol
- Sanofi press release, "Sanofi to acquire Qunol," July 2023: https://www.sanofi.com/en/media-room/press-releases/2023/2023-07-28-05-32-00-2712870
- SupplySide Supplement Journal, "Sanofi takes major healthy aging stake with Qunol acquisition," August 2023: https://www.supplysidesj.com/healthy-living/sanofi-takes-major-healthy-aging-stake-with-qunol-acquisition