Kiwi health firm inks Israeli deal
A Nelson skincare company that uses a unique strain of algae to stop wrinkles has become the first Kiwi company to strike a deal with the Israeli biotechnology sector.
Supreme Health New Zealand has a deal with Algatechnologies to gain access to its cutting-edge technology.
Supreme Health chief executive Kerry Paul said securing the deal placed the company at the forefront of micro-algal production.
Israel’s scientists were the world’s first to cultivate antioxidants from micro-algae, which made Algatechnologies an ideal partner, Paul said.
‘‘Micro-algae are far superior to the ingredients being used in today’s natural health products.
‘‘The key bioactives in products from micro-algae exist in far higher concentrations, enabling increased efficacy, and are produced in a sustainable system in contrast to today’s natural products.’’
Bioactives are chemicals and microbes that have some biological effect on our bodies.
The unique strain of the algae grown by Supreme Health produces astaxanthin, a chemical compound that increases cell nutrients. Astaxanthin was 6000 times more powerful than vitamin C, Paul said.
The algae will be grown in Nelson and then sent to Israel where Algatechnologies scales the microalgae to commercial levels before returning it to New Zealand for the extraction of astaxanthin.
Algatechnologies chief executive Hagai Stadler said the deal meant the company could scale up.
‘‘This investment is in line with our core strategy to fully exploit the potential of microalgae-derived products for commercial applications and especially natural astaxanthin, which is our key ingredient,’’ Stadler said.
Paul expected astaxanthin to become the next manuka honey.
‘‘Astaxanthin has low levels of consumer awareness at the moment but it’s growing quickly.’’