DSM ventures into lipids investment
announced the signing of a substantial investment agreement with
DSM Venturing, part of the DSM Group headquartered in Heerlen, the
Netherlands.
Swedish private company Lipid Technologies Provider (LTP) yesterday announced the signing of a substantial investment agreement with DSM Venturing, part of the DSM Group headquartered in Heerlen, the Netherlands, and active worldwide in life science products, performance materials and industrial chemicals.
LTP develops, produces and commercialises lipid-based ingredients and formulations for functional food products, drug delivery systems and skin care products. The company said it has chosen to partner with other companies in order to aid the development of pharmaceutical delivery systems based on its lipid technology platform. Financial details were not disclosed by the companies.
The company's main goal is to develop lipid carriers - combinations of lipids that add functionality to a product, either as a carrier of bioactive substances or as an agent/carrier creating a specific physical function in food and skin care. LTP said its novel concept for functional food was to use the traditional drug delivery system approach for nutrients, as it claims its lipid systems can increase the bioavailability and the efficacy of nutrients. This concept of nutrient delivery has been tested clinically with significant results.
Its lead product Reducal - derived from palm oil and oat oil - is a functional food ingredient that addresses weight management. It has been scientifically demonstrated that when milk fat is replaced with Reducal, a 20-30 per cent reduction in caloric intake at subsequent meals is possible
"We welcome the investment by DSM Venturing and we are convinced that it represents a significant opportunity for the further development of LTP's technologies in several promising areas. DSM's technological and industrial experience will make an important contribution to the commercialisation of LTP's product portfolio," commented LTP directors Jörgen Quick and Bengt Herslöf.
DSM Venturing is part of DSM's Venturing and Business Development business group and was formed in 2001. It is focused on direct investments in early stage companies in DSM's strategic growth fields: food ingredients, pharmaceutical intermediates and performance materials. It also participates in several venture capital funds active in these fields.
