InterMed Discovery acquires sustainable source for Omega-3 fatty acid

InterMed Discovery (IMD) has purchased unique microbial Omega-3 fatty acid production strains and related expertise from the University of Saarland, Saarbruecken, Germany. This microbial source has the potential to produce Omega-3 more sustainably and reliably than established sources.

The two fatty acids EPA and DHA are particularly important and the concentrations of both are directly related to the use of Omega-3 in different therapeutic settings. Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly those with high levels of EPA, are at present derived from fish. However, with dwindling fish populations and rising demand for Omega-3, developers have been searching for more sustainable alternatives. In addition, the Omega-3 concentration in fish can exhibit significant batch variation, which is also a problem with alternative sources such as algae, which generate mainly DHA while the yields for EPA are very low or even non-existent.

German natural product lead-discovery firm IMD says it has acquired microbial strains from a sustainable source that reliably generate high yields of Omega-3 fatty acids and significantly out-perform current sources. This source also offers a more favourable ratio between DHA and EPA. IMD expects this will lead to the development of enhanced Omega-3 formulations allowing for new product applications for the pharma, dietary supplement and food industries.

"These microbial strains offer not only a new sustainable and reliable source of Omega-3, but also give us the capability to develop products with outstanding quality at competitive pricing," said Bernard Becker, managing director of InterMed.

IMD will lead the r&d project with the team at the University of Saarland. Financial terms were not disclosed.