Global accolade for Aussie startup

THE team from Sydney-based Pharmako (pictured) look pretty excited to have their company named the winner in the Start-Up category at the recent Vitafoods Europe conference which took place in Geneva, Switzerland.

The event sees the global nutraceutical supply chain come together to do business, with more than 20,000 visitors from across the globe and 1000+ exhibitors including suppliers of dietary supplements, functional food and beverages along with service and equipment.

The Nutraingredients Awards recognise innovation and cutting edge research in healthy foods, supplements and nutrition - and no Australian company has previously won, although Medlab came close last year with its NRGBiotic a finalist in last year’s reader’s choice category in the awards.

However this month that all changed, with Pharmako Biotechnologies winning the Start-Up award which recognises the “best new companies blazing the trail in the nutrition and health market, rewarding new ideas, potential for change and commercial success in companies established in the last three years”.

Pharmako’s new HydroCurc bioavailable cucumin formulation was also recognised as a finalist in the Best Botanical Product of the Year and Editors Award for Functional Food Innovation categories.

Pharmako specialises in lipid based drug delivery systems, and was founded in 2015 by former senior TGA manager George Kokkinis and ex Swisse Wellness executive Eric Meppem.

The company ran the human pharmacokinetic trial demonstrating HydroCurc’s enhanced bioavailability at the University of Queensland.