About us

Zymetech´s intellectual property, the Penzyme Technology, represents its most significant asset. It relates to the production and use of marine enzymes for therapeautic application.

Professor Jon Bragi Bjarnason

Zymetech is an Icelandic knowledge based biotechnology company that concentrates on research and development in the field of enzymes and their use in natural products, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Zymetech is the holder of the exclusive rights to a patented technology on marine proteases termed the Penzyme Technology that was developed at Zymetech and the University of Iceland. Zymetech was established in 1997 by Dr. Jón Bragi Bjarnason Professor at the University of Iceland.

Zymetech is involved in research and development as well as production and marketing of marine enzymes, protein formulations and consumer products derived thereof. The vision of Zymetech is to realize the full potential that the Penzyme Technology has to offer by promoting and licensing the technology to companies world-wide.

In 1997 Zymetech received a contract for a large research project in the field of pharmaceutical enzyme research, development and production for a British Biomedical company. In 1999 Zymetech completed the program that led to the production of enzymes for clinical research, conforming to the strictest pharmaceutical quality controls.

Business

The business model underlying Zymetech is to develop and sell marine-enzyme containing products to the natural products, cosmetic and pharmaceutical markets. The beneficial properties of Zymetech´s marine enzymes have been confirmed in laboratory research, partner funded clinical studies, and direct feedback from consumers. Zymetech also developes and sells specific topical formulations intended to maintain therapeautic effects of proteins as well as providing benefits to topical surfaces.

Zymetech´s competitive advantage is secured by exclusive intellectual property rights in each of the fields Zymetech is targeting. In the longer term, Zymetech will build on this advantage by using its research capabilities to develop next generation enzyme products and by using the distinctiveness of its technology to establish a strong international retail brand.

The business model underlying Zymetech is to develop and sell marine-enzyme containing products in specific formulations to the medical device and cosmetic markets. The beneficial properties of Zymetech´s marine enzymes have been confirmed in laboratory research, partner funded clinical studies, and direct feedback from consumers.
The business is now poised to expand. In the first instance, expansion will be export of medical devices and cosmetic products to key markets in the US, Europe and Asia, and this is already underway. Zymetech also sells Penzyme and formulations for private labeling to companies world-wide. Expansion will also involve developing new products such as medical devices and cosmetic formulations.

Zymetech has to date signed several distribution and development agreements in Europe, North America and Asia.

Intellectual Property

Zymetech´s intellectual property, the Penzyme Technology, represents its most significant asset. It relates to the production and use of marine enzymes in specific formulations for therapeautic application.

Our technology is based on a proprietary technology using cold active proteases from coldwater marine organisms, in particular Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). These have proven to be more active than other proteases tested such as mammalian, plant or microorganism proteases. The title of our patent is: Fish serine proteases and their pharmaceutical and cosmetic use. The international PCT publication date is 28.12. 2000 and the international publication number is WO 00/78332 A2.

The patent has been filed in about 40 countries, among which is all of western Europe, Poland, Russia, China, Japan, India and more.