Interest in innovation guided the career of researcher Rosa Biaggio, a former student at Unicamp (State University of Campinas) and, currently, an entrepreneur using technology developed during her doctorate at the university. It was this vocation that led her to take on important positions in companies in the area of Research and Development, during her professional career.
Having this profile, staying away from the gym didn't seem like a possibility. And it wasn't. She chose to do a PhD in Biotechnology at the Unicamp Chemistry Institute, where she was supervised by Professor Paulo Imamura, and developed new natural molecules, through Biocatalysis, which earned her a patent deposit, made by the Inova Unicamp Innovation Agency. Due to the collaboration in research, the Unicamp patent is jointly owned by Univap (University of Vale do Paraíba).
Understand the technology
The developed process, applied to natural products called terpenes, consists of using natural raw materials such as Humulene, Caryophyllene and also Coronarin D, using enzyme as a catalyst and creating new molecules from this. The result is several epoxidized molecules, including Humuleneperoxydiol, Caryophylleneperoxydiol and Coronarin D Epoxide. Despite the complex names, what arouses the most interest are their applications, as they can result in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and medicinal products.
These compounds are characterized by anti-inflammatory activity and containment of the proliferation of bad agents. In other words: in the case of cancer treatment, for example, a smaller amount of compounds is needed to kill cancer cells – which is beneficial for the patient undergoing treatment. The product, then, can act by replacing chemotherapy drugs currently on the market.
“According to some literature research I have been doing, I am thinking of carrying out tests to also check its antiviral capacity. Thus, the application could extend to treatments against HIV and hepatitis C, and also Covid-19”, adds the researcher.
Sustainable process
In addition to the gains from the final product, the process itself already brings advantages to what exists today. Unlike the conventional chemical catalysis process – which uses synthetic compounds and, therefore, has more steps –, the technology proposes a leaner process, which consumes less energy, does not form by-products and proves to be more economically viable on an industrial scale.
The technology has already been tested vitro, at CPQBA (Center for Chemical, Biological and Agricultural Research) at Unicamp in antiproliferative tests for prostate, colorectal and multidrug-resistant ovarian cancer and leukemia. The next phase is to evolve into testing in vivo, that is, in animals. And, next, for clinical tests: Phases 1, 2 and 3.
“Bringing technology like this to the market is no simple task. There are many testing phases and laboratory and research time. Companies such as pharmaceutical companies are very interested, but they only agree to carry out R&D projects and invest in technologies if the pre-clinical tests are completed”, reinforces Rosa.
The project that became a business
In addition to developing the technology, Rosa realized that the project had the potential to go beyond the laboratory benches and decided to create her own company in 2014: Sugarzyme.
In the search for investors to invest in her business, Rosa has also taken technology to challenges and competitions, in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical areas. The company had support from the PIPE Empreendedor program, from Fapesp (São Paulo State Research Support Foundation). And it has already been classified in the 100 Open Startups Ranking for three consecutive years, from 2017 to 2019, organized by the 100 Open Startups Movement: 2nd place in the Biotech category in 2018 and 9th in 2019.
