Biotec Pharmacon is the region’s oldest active biotechnology company with research operations for more than 25 years. Today, Biotec Pharmacon is engaged in two main areas; immune modulating compounds and marine biochemicals. The parent company focuses on developing medical products or devices based on proprietary immune modulating beta-1.3/1.6-glucans. The company has its own production facility in Tromsø with a manufacturing license for medicinal products. Over the years Biotec Pharmacon has cooperated closely with a number of well known national and international R&D institutions. The focus areas are treatment of ulcers and treatment of cancer in combination with antibodies. Biotec Pharmacon also produces active ingredients (beta glucans) for dietary supplements and cosmetics. The company’s technologies are protected through a number of worldwide patents. Biotec Pharmacon has been listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange since 2005 under the ticker BIOTEC.

Soluble Beta Glucan (SBG)
Biotec Pharmacon’s main product, SBG, is soluble beta glucans which are extracted from the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Beta glucans from this yeast consist of glucose molecules which are connected together in long beta-1.3 chains, with corresponding side chains connected via beta-1.6 links. The immune system can specifically recognize and respond to beta glucans. Soluble beta glucans can be formulated such that different products give off different biological effects dependent on how they are recognized by the immune cells. This means SBG can be designed specially for several types of medicinal application areas. The company is now in the process of developing clearly differentiated products directed towards, respectively, the healing of ulcers and the treatment of cancer in combination with immune therapy. SBG also has shown promising results in preclinical studies for the treatment of IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease).

Biotec Pharmacon’s Subsidiary, Marine Biochemicals
Biotec Pharmacon’s fully owned subsidiary, Marine Biochemicals, was established in 2009 and carries on its parent company’s long-time activity within marine bioprocessing. It has succeeded in commercializing a number of unique products which have been developed with a basis in the Arctic marine environment.