National Institute Of Oceanography( NIO ) - Technology Transfer to M/s Avestha Gengraine Technology Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore

Technology Transfer to M/s Avestha Gengraine Technology Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore

DHA or Docosahexaenoic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid having beneficial nutrient properties including development of brain

function in infants. It forms as an essential component of infant food formulas, and currently manufactured from marine sources like Thraustochytrids. NIO along with the other institutional partners (IIIM, Jammu and IICT, Hyderabad) under the New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) scheme developed a knowledge-based knowhow for the production of DHA through direct fermentation of marine thraustochytrid strain SC-1. CSIR signed an agreement to transfer this technology of DHA production to Avestha Gengraine Technology Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore, an industrial partner, on 2/07/2007 with the initial lump sum payment of Rs. 50 lakhs to the institutional partners after fulfilling the following criteria:

1) A detailed standard operating protocol (SOP) for culturing and maintenance of SC-1 culture, production details and downstream processing of DHA and chemical characterization of DHA was to be produced by all the three CSIR partners, and
2) a demonstration of production of DHA in 200 L fermentor and culturing of SC-1 to the concerned staff of Avesthagen Gengraine Technology Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore.

Once the company starts manufacturing DHA on a commercial scale, a further Rs. 100 lakhs will be paid to CSIR in three installments over a period of 3 years. This amount will also be distributed among the three partner institutes. The project titled "recombinant approach to produce alpha-linolenic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in sunflower and yeast" was initiated by Dr. S. Raghukumar and later on carried forward by Dr. Chandralata Raghukumar at NIO.

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