Archive for August, 2009

Aug
29 2009

Novel natural marine product yielding potential new ways to fight diseases

Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and their colleagues at Creighton University have deciphered the highly unusual molecular structure of a naturally produced, ocean-based compound that is giving new understanding of the function of mammalian nerve cells.

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Aug
20 2009

Solid start in USA for Superba Krill

The biotechnology company Aker BioMarine shipped 15 metric tons (MT) of Superba Krill to the US market in the second quarter of 2009. Of this tonnage, 4.8 MT were sales recorded in the second quarter.

”The shipment is a key milestone. An additional 16 MT will be ready for delivery this August,” says Hallvard Muri, Aker BioMarine President and CEO.

”Aker BioMarine is stepping up international marketing and sales efforts, which include a pilot launch of direct sales to consumers in the United States. The pilot launch will indicate the commercial potential for Superba™ and our direct sales model in the US market. We are also seeking a cooperative agreement with a partner holding a strong position in the US market,” says Mr. Muri.

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From Issue 7 • Categories: Tags: krill oil, omega 3 • No Comments

Aug
14 2009

Enzymatic production of chitin oligosaccharides developed in China

On April 17^th, 2009, a research project funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China — enzymatic production of chitin oligosaccharides, was checked and accepted by experts assembled by State Oceanic Administration of China.

The project, conducted by Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, was unanimously evaluated as innovative and internationally advanced.

It was found by the research group that Aeromonas caviae is capable of producing multiple chitinases. The genes for the enzymes were cloned and expressed. Effect of the mutation of the enzyme molecules on their binding to and hydrolysis of chitin was studied. Natural chitinases were modified by biotechnological means and used to degrade chitin from crustaceans such as shrimps and crabs to produce low molecular weight chitin oligosaccharides.

At present, a process has been developed for producing high-purity homogeneous chitin oligosaccharides, with the produced chitin disaccharide having a purity of 96.4%. At the same time, a pilot process of enzymatic production of chitin oligosaccharides has been set up, with the content of chitin oligosaccharides in the product mixture being no less than 97.2%.

Chitin oligosaccharides, as a type of biological signal substances, have a variety of biological activities and find extensive use in the treatment of AIDS, cancers and in oral medicine and body healthcare.

Compiled and translated from China Ocean Newspaper dated Apr 24^th, 2009, by Haiping Zhang

From Issue 7 • Categories: Tags: chitosan • No Comments

Aug
04 2009

A compound initially isolated from a soft coral (Capnella imbricata) could lead scientists to develop new set of neuropathic pain treatments

A compound initially isolated from a soft coral (Capnella imbricata) collected at Green Island off Taiwan, could lead scientists to develop a new set of treatments for neuropathic pain – chronic pain that sometimes follows damage to the nervous system. Currently this form of pain is very poorly controlled by the usual analgesics (aspirin like drugs (NSAIDS) or even opioids like morphine) and novel treatments are urgently required. The conclusion of a paper published today in the British Journal of Pharmacology is that this new compound could be a candidate.

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