Weekly Roundup: DSM enters Japanese partnership on healthy aging, Croda expands with Marine Biotechnology innovation center

16 Nov 2018 --- In nutrition news this week, Croda opened a new Center of Innovation for Marine Biotechnology and DSM entered a collaboration on the development of services in nutritional rehabilitation and disease prevention in Japan. Lonza and Sartorius Stedim Biotech (SSB) are modifying their current agreement for the supply of cell culture media by mutual accord. Lastly, Gelita recently hosted a US symposium called, “The Sounds of Health and Nutrition,” which aimed to offer inspiration for market opportunities in the global health and nutrition marketplace.

In brief: Mergers, partnerships and expansions
Croda has officially opened its Center of Innovation for Marine Biotechnology, based at Nautilus Biosciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of Croda, UK. The acquisition of Nautilus in Q1 2018 and continued investment to establish the new Center of Innovation hopes to accelerate the company’s research and product development program to identify sustainable, natural sources of functional ingredients for a broad range of personal, health and crop care ingredients for its customers.

Royal DSM and Saitama Kyojunokai Group (KJK), a hospital group providing acute care and rehabilitation medical care, are collaborating on the development of new services in nutritional rehabilitation. The collaboration commenced on Tuesday and will be offered through DSM Japan. The parties are to develop healthcare services that deliver personalized advice optimized for each patient across all aspects of meals, exercise and nutrition. By combining knowledge on nutrition held by DSM, with knowledge of medical treatment possessed by KJK, the partnership hopes to provide nutritional information to contribute to the early recovery of individual patients, as well as disease prevention. A pilot service will start in the first quarter of 2019 and the aim is to launch the commercial service during 2019 at Harajuku Rehabilitation Hospital, KJK group’s flagship hospital.

Lonza and Sartorius Stedim Biotech (SSB) are modifying their current agreement for the supply of cell culture media by mutual accord. The agreement, signed in 2012, gave SSB exclusive sales and marketing rights for certain media and buffers developed and manufactured by Lonza for use in biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes. Lonza retained sales for research-based products, among others. Under the new agreement, SSB will continue to offer current and future Lonza media and buffers on a non-exclusive basis as part of its extensive portfolio of products for cell-based development and manufacturing. Lonza Pharma & Biotech is to resume sales and marketing of all its media products for both manufacturing and research. Customers of both companies will continue to be able to source media products for their specific needs.

In brief: Research studies
Deep ocean minerals may enhance the hypolipidemic effect of red mold dioscorea, a recent study shared by D-Minneralz suggests. Deep sea water, which is filled with minerals, is though to provide certain health benefits. Red mold may reduce blood lipids, and the study sought to see if there was a difference between DOW-RMD (deep ocean minerals water-cultured Red Mold Dioscorea) and ROW-RMD (reverse osmosis water-cultured Red Mold Dioscorea) when fed to hamsters on a high-cholesterol diet. The results showed that DOW-RMD had a greater effect on lowering cholesterol levels, lipid peroxidation in serum and lipid plaque in heart aorta than ROW-RMD, which may result from absorbed and accumulated deep ocean minerals, such as Mg ion, in DOW-RMD.

In brief: Miscellaneous
Gelita recently hosted a symposium called “The Sounds of Health and Nutrition,” which aimed to offer inspiration for market opportunities in the global health and nutrition marketplace. Nearly 80 delegates from 12 countries visited Nashville, US, to attend the symposium. Led with a company overview by Gelita’s CEO – Franz J. Konert, Ph.D. – unveiling Gelita’s future strategic direction and plans for growth, the presentation “set the tone and fast-paced rhythm for the event.” The theme of the music-based symposium was that global markets are moving fast, much like our favorite music scores, and it can be challenging to follow the movements.

By Laxmi Haigh