Center for Natural Product-based Therapeutics (ZNT)

At the Center for Natural Product-Based Therapeutics (ZNT) in Köthen, scientists from the Competence Center Algae Biotechnology (CAB) at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and the Fraunhofer IZI MWT are working together at the interface between red, blue and white Biotechnology to identify unknown active ingredients from natural sources, in particular algae, and to transfer successfully tested active ingredients into pharmacological and toxicological studies. Close cooperation with the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and its industrial links should enable faster transfer of research results to industry. The aim is to market the results as pharmaceuticals, medical cosmetics and nutraceuticals.

In the ZNT laboratories, the potential active ingredient producers are cultivated in various photobioreactors (e.g. bubble columns, flat-panel PBR, GICON fir tree PBR, multi-reactor system) from laboratory to pilot plant scale.

After cell disruption (e.g. RWKM, HDH) and drying (e.g. lyophilization, spray drying), the active ingredients are extracted from the algae biomass (e.g. ASE, supercritical_{CO2 extraction}, Soxhlet) and purified (e.g. desalination, precipitation, SPE). Extensive instrumental analysis technology (GC-MS, LC-MS, NMR, IR, UV-VIS spectroscopy) enables qualitative and quantitative determination of the active ingredients.

Efficacy testing is carried out in specific bioassays both in cellular test systems and by means of enzyme-based tests, which are used to detect antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-carcinogenic and anti-neurodegenerative effects of the natural substances.

Process development is designed in such a way that the products meet all requirements for microbiological and cytotoxic safety.