TECH OFFERS

Fragrance and deodorising sprays for home care, fabric care and pet care applications often suffer from inconsistent and shortlived performance. This Nano Delivery Technology encapsulates fragrances, essential oils and other odourous compounds into nano sized biodegradable capsules that can anchor themselves efficiently to fibres and hairs, while regulating the release of the encapsulated compounds over prolonged time periods. The encapsulation process takes place at room temperatures, using low energy methods, that preserves the integrity of the actives. The technology is designed as a ready-to-use adjuvant allowing manufacturers to nano encapsulate the actives independently and easily using their existing process and production equipments. 

This technology involves the development of a spray designed to enhance immunity and combat inflammation while effectively inhibiting respiratory viruses, including H1N1, RSV, and COVID-19, as demonstrated in pre-clinical testing. The product is a result of a comprehensive process, starting from the cultivation of specific target plants for extracting key compounds, leading to formulation development, and culminating in non-clinical and clinical studies. The primary problem addressed by this technology is the need for effective virus prevention and inflammation reduction, particularly among individuals interested in maintaining their health and preventing viral infections, such as reducing susceptibility to respiratory diseases. The target audience for this technology includes individuals who are interested in proactive health maintenance and seek to protect themselves from viral infections while mitigating inflammation-related health issues. This IP addresses a significant need in the marketplace by offering a proactive solution for individuals looking to bolster their immune systems and reduce the risk of viral infections, which has become especially pertinent in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the technology's focus on inflammation reduction aligns with the growing awareness of the importance of immune system support and overall health optimization, making it a relevant and valuable innovation for health-conscious consumers. The technology owner is seeking for licensing and R&D collaborations into other various applications.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection affects over 50% of the global population and is a major cause of gastritis, peptic ulcers, and gastric cancer. Current antibiotic regimens face challenges such as antibiotic resistance and adverse effects. Natural products provide a promising alternative, but their efficacy must be scientifically validated before clinical use. To address this need, we have developed an in vitro platform to evaluate anti-H. pylori properties of botanical extracts in a robust and reproducible manner. The model comprises two components: 1) Direct antimicrobial activity determined by minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations; 2) Anti-infective effects against live H. pylori infection of gastric epithelial cells. Using this platform, we have evaluated the anti-H. pylori properties of Boesenbergia rotunda (fingerroot) extracts. This provides evidence for the traditional use of fingerroot and validates it as an herbal medicine candidate. Our in vitro infection model allows rapid screening of natural product libraries to discover novel anti-H. pylori phytotherapies. It offers a standardized method as a part of a preclinical evaluation of safety and efficacy prior to human trials. This platform could be utilized by nutraceutical or pharmaceutical companies interested in scientifically developing new botanical therapies for H. pylori infection and gastritis. It addresses the need for evidence-based natural medicines to combat antibiotic resistance and improve treatment options against a global infection. Besides uncovering novel targets for traditional medicine, the technology owner is able to provide screening, extraction, compound analysis and validation tests for natural compounds at the facilities. 

In recent decades, Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and Coxsackies A16 (CA16), Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) and/or Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV-2) have been the major cause of epidemic of several diseases worldwide. This technology presents an antiviral pharmaceutical composition using at least one plant-based compound as the therapeutic agent to inhibit viral replication in a host upon administering the composition to the subject accordingly. The composition comprises a polar extract of Astraeus asiaticus, and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients selected from the group consisting of a solvent, an additive, a buffering agent, a preservative, a flavoring agent, and a stabilizer. The composition has shown to be effective against EV71, CA16, HSV-1, and/or HSV-2. EV71 and CVA16 are the primary cause of Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) and herpangina. HSV-1/HSV-2 are the causative agent of oral/genital herpes. The composition can be formulated including, but not limited to, oral spray, oral paste and hand gel.  The discovery of this active ingredient A. asiaticus can significantly prevent EV71 infection where infants and children under five years old are more vulnerable to severe complications. Currently, there are no commercial product for Acyclovir-resistant strains but the active ingredient A. asiaticus is shown to be effective against HSV-1/HSV-2 and Acyclovir-resistant HSV infections. The technology owner is seeking collaborations with OEMs, pharmaceutical and health supplement companies for manufacturing and further R&D to formulate the active ingredient into health supplements. 

Melioidosis, caused by the environmental gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, is a tropical disease often manifesting as severe sepsis. In tropical regions where melioidosis is prevalent, the mortality rate for sepsis and melioidosis is alarmingly high with 40-80% of patients exhibiting bacteremia and pneumonia, underlining the urgent need for effective diagnostic solutions. Currently, available methods for identifying melioidosis patients are limited, contributing to under recognition and misdiagnosis of this fatal pathogen. In addressing this critical healthcare challenge, the ready-to-use real-time PCR kit for B. pseudomallei detection is a significant breakthrough. Its purpose is to enhance the diagnosis process for melioidosis suspected patients. The kit provides high sensitivity and quick diagnosis capabilities which are essential for timely patient management and clinical decision-making, enabling prompt administration of appropriate antimicrobial agents for melioidosis. This not only reduces disease severity but also impacts the mortality rate and the overall cost of hospital care. The gold standard for diagnosis is bacterial culture but has a low sensitivity of 60% and a low throughput rate, which does not meet the demands for quick and accurate detection in melioidosis cases. This technology addresses this gap by offering a rapid, highly sensitive diagnostic tool that is crucial to reduce severe infections that lead to high mortality rate. The technology owner is seeking collaborations with medical institutions (particularly those specializing in infectious disease diagnosis and treatment), device manufacturers capable of producing and distributing the kit at scale, research institutions and academic organizations.

Professional football clubs have a strong economic motivation to invest in injury prevention and rehabilitation programs. Among sports-related injuries, ankle sprains stand out as one of the most common injuries, accounting for 10-30% of such injuries. Even more concerning is the recorded data indicating that a substantial 80% of ankle sprains result in injury recurrence and enduring instability. This underscores the critical need for innovative solutions to address and prevent such joint injuries, ultimately enhancing players’ performance, prolonging their careers, and safeguarding the financial interests of professional football clubs. Through interdisciplinary research, the technology owner has developed a second skin designed to provide optimal support and protection for ankle joints, emerging as a promising avenue in the pursuit of minimizing these pervasive and recurrent injuries. This innovative second skin is made of a non-woven fabric that incorporates graphene fibers using a spraying technique. The application of this second skin should be prior to each practice session, as the level of support it provides decreases during physical activity. The second skin has remarkable performance and high impact resistance, ensuring a user-friendly experience. The technology owner is seeking collaboration with relevant partners, such as football clubs and sports medical centers in Asia and Europe.

Nitrofurans are synthetic antibiotics that have been widely used in veterinary medicine to treat bacterial infections in animals. However, due to concerns about their potential harmful effects on human health, many countries have banned their use. As a result, it is important to detect nitrofurans residues in food products to ensure food safety and prevent potential health risks. The aptasensor colorimetric detection kit for nitrofurans (NFs) residues provides high specificity and sensitivity of NFs contaminants in fisheries products and honey. This kit enables the rapid extraction of NFs within 5 hours, without requiring sophisticated equipment. The kit also allows for rapid detection within 5 minutes, with the assistance of a mobile phone image analyzer application, making it ideal for on-site detection. The sensitivity of detection reaches 0.3 ppb, which is in line with the Minimum Required Performance Level (MRPL), allowing this kit to be used as a screening kit for NFs. Compared to the standard method, LC-MS/MS, this kit reduces the cost of operation by 10 times (from 100 USD to 10 USD) and reduces the time of operation (from 18 hours to 6 hours). Additionally, this kit does not require sophisticated scientific equipment. The technology provider is seeking R&D collaboration partners with the farming and feed production industry to self-determine NFs contaminants prior to harvesting or selling their products.  

Piglets are vital to the pork industry, but they are often born weak and with insufficient milk, resulting in high mortality rates and the need for antibiotics. To address this issue, a technology provider has developed a formulation containing medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which can help piglets recover quickly, disinfect bacteria, inhibit viruses, balance gut microorganisms, and improve immunity levels. The formulation contains a high concentration of lauric acid and monolaurin, which account for more than 40% of the total fatty acid content. It also contains natural extracts and curcuminoids from palm kernel oil with techniques decarboxylated that help reduce oxidative stress, stimulate the immune system, and reduce inflammation in the digestive tract of piglets. The technology provider is seeking collaboration partners to reduce antibiotic use in the pig industry, which will result in fewer chemical residues in meat and lower production costs.

This technology aims to tackle the food waste problem in the Thai agricultural sector. Shrimp shell was selected since it constituted a large portion of all crustacean shell waste. Many tons of shrimp shells are discarded daily. However, they contain high amounts of protein, calcium, and umami compounds. Thus, they can be used to fortify food products.  Currently, the instant noodle market still has a limited number of healthy options. Therefore, there is a significant market opportunity to develop a low sodium and high protein instant noodle product.