InterMed Discovery (IMD), an emerging world class natural product lead-discovery company, and Axxam SpA, a gene-to-lead biotechnology company, announced that their joint research efforts have proved to be successful in providing a technology platform that offers, in addition to screening solutions, the discovery of natural bioactive compounds. These bioactive compounds are particularly valuable to companies in the food, beverages, flavour and fragrance industries.

Based on these results, both companies have therefore signed a second partnership agreement to further combine the expert platforms of IMD and Axxam. The combined technology platform offers an integrated approach to the screening, discovery and profiling of innovative natural sources-derived functional ingredients for various life science applications.

The joint research will focus on the mutual discovery and validation of Flavour/Fragrance functional ingredients, which will then be offered to food, beverages, flavour and fragrance companies. The proprietary compounds that are discovered will have clearly defined activity profiles and naturally-derived chemical properties, making them much more valuable to the customers wishing to utilize them.

"This cooperation is a direct response to what we see as growing market needs," said Dr Thomas Henkel, managing director of InterMed Discovery. "Our innovative approach to developing natural functional ingredients together with Axxam caters perfectly to the increasing market demand for turn key solutions."

"We believe that our unique cooperation and the complementary skill sets of both companies will offer a valuable alternative for innovation in this demanding field and will industrialize the process for the generation of novel functional ingredients," added Stefan Lohmer, chairman and CEO of Axxam.

This joint research initiative between IMD and Axxam deepens an already existing strategic alliance, which was established in 2007 to provide complete service solutions for the identification of bioactive compounds from natural sources to the flavour and fragrance industries.

InterMed Discovery is an emerging world class natural product lead-discovery company, driving innovation through the generation of novel product candidates for the life science, food and cosmetics industries.

Axxam is a leading discovery company that offers early-stage discovery services, technologies and lead discovery programs for application in the life science industry.