Amicogen (CEO Park Cheol), a bio-material, pharmaceutical, and healthcare specialist company, announced on the 3rd that it has signed a technology transfer agreement for a pharmaceutic composition patent that dramatically improves the absorption rate of poorly soluble ginsenosides in collaboration with Kyungsung University. The agreement was made on the 20th of last month, and both institutions agreed to cooperate in commercializing the technology to maximize the bioavailability of ginsenosides.
Ginsenosides are the key active components of ginseng, reported to have various physiological functions such as anti-aging, cholesterol reduction, blood pressure regulation, anti-cancer and immune enhancement, memory improvement, blood circulation promotion, anti-stress, antioxidant effects, and fatigue recovery. However, existing ginsenosides have been limited by their low bioavailability in the body, which restricts their actual effectiveness.
An Amicogen representative stated, "Preclinical trial results showed that ginsenosides with solubilization technology applied exhibited significantly better efficacy in all biomarkers related to cognitive function improvement in a concentration-dependent manner compared to conventional non-solubilized formulations." In particular, pharmacokinetic experiments using animal models demonstrated that the maximum absorption concentration (Cmax) increased threefold compared to the existing formulation, the time to reach maximum absorption concentration (Tmax) was shortened by four times, and the bioavailability increased up to 30 times. These achievements were realized through three years of joint research with the Department of Pharmacy at Kyungsung University, where Kyungsung developed a formulation suitable for food applications and applied it to Amicogen's ginsenoside raw materials.
In modern society, the incidence of cognitive impairment is gradually increasing due to aging. This condition goes beyond simple memory decline and can significantly affect daily life, making preventive approaches using safe raw materials suitable for long-term intake essential. Especially with advances in medical technology and improved living standards leading to increased life expectancy, the "100-year life era" is becoming a reality, making the prevention and management of geriatric diseases an important challenge for humanity.
Park Cheol, CEO of Amicogen, said, "Ginsenosides have high potential to be utilized in various industries such as food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals," adding, "Through this technology transfer agreement, by applying new formulation technology, we have solved the bioavailability issue and opened new possibilities for developing health functional products."
He also emphasized, "Based on innovative technology, we will continue research and development to create greater value in the global market. After clinical research stages, we expect to pioneer a new anti-aging market in the health functional food and food additive sectors."
The ginsenoside raw materials with this technology applied are scheduled to be actively supplied to domestic and international markets starting from the first half of this year.
Meanwhile, the Department of Pharmacy at Kyungsung University operates the ‘Well-Aging Care Functional Natural Materials Talent Development Group’ within the ‘BB21plus’ project (project leader Professor Pyo Jae-sung), supported by Busan Metropolitan City and Busan Technopark, focusing on nurturing customized talent needed for the silver industry. Going forward, Kyungsung University plans to continuously collaborate with Amicogen to expand joint projects in functional bio-material research and the silver industry sector.
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