Fermentalg acquires portfolio of omega 3 production patents in bid to strengthen technological position
06 Feb 2018 --- French microalgae supplier Fermentalg has acquired a portfolio of patents to reinforce its intellectual property and industrial and commercial capabilities in the field of omega 3 production. Fermentalg now owns a portfolio of five patents, some of which have already been issued in several countries, to add to its 21 families of active patents already filed. The company has also acquired a number of microalgae strains to add to its bank of over 2,000 strains which is one of the largest in the world.
The company notes that this intellectual property opens the way for new opportunities in omega 3 production, particularly oils rich in essential fatty acids and natural pigments which are the two major product families developed by the company, both directly or indirectly through partnerships.
“As soon as we saw the opportunity to acquire this technological expertise, we knew it would give us the competitive advantage needed to offer innovative products with a very high value-added to industry partners in our strategic markets of nutrition and health. It is an acquisition that once again reflects Fermentalg's position as a driver of innovation through the bio-industrial exploitation of microalgae,” says Hywel Griffiths, Chief Scientific Officer for Fermentalg.
All sources combined (EPA, DHA, etc.), today's omega 3 market is estimated at US$1.4 billion, with markets in Asia-Pacific, the US, Latin America and Europe. Estimated at around 2,000 tons per year, the market for DHA derived from microalgae has enjoyed robust growth over the last few years thanks to changing consumption patterns.
At the end of 2017, Fermentalg announced the signing of a Europe-wide distribution agreement with IMCD Group, a leader in the sales, marketing and distribution of specialty chemicals and food ingredients. The agreement includes DHA350, an omega 3-rich algal oil unveiled, and DHA550, an oil offering a high concentration of omega 3 scheduled for launch in the first half of 2018.
