Seaweed for Drug Development

Overview

Seaweeds are one of the most abundant and promising marine living resources of primary and secondary metabolites. They can synthesize a wide range of compounds such as carotenoids, amino acids, acetogenins, polyphenols, alkaloids, and polysaccharides. In addition, various natural products of seaweeds possess a wide range of biological activities, including anticoagulant, antiviral, antioxidant, antiallergic, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory. Therefore, seaweeds are considered a promising bioresource that not only provides new bioactives for drug discovery but also essential compounds for human nutrition. CD BioSciences is committed to the development of marine bioresources that maximize the use of seaweeds to advance progress in drug discovery. Our platform enables the extraction and analysis of natural compounds from algae, revealing their potential for disease treatment and thus accelerating drug discovery.

Figure 1. Biomedical potentialities of marine-based seaweed polysaccharides. (Bilal M, et al., 2019)

Types of Drugs Developed from Seaweed

• Anti-cancer drugs. Sulfated polysaccharides and polyphenolic compounds in seaweed have been shown to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis, providing new ideas for anti-cancer drug development.
• Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic agents. A large number of promising actives extracted from seaweeds, such as polysaccharides, carotenoids, and phycocyanins are effective against inflammation and allergies. Research on these actives will help develop new anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy drugs.
• Antibacterial and antiviral drugs. Seaweed extracts have shown significant activity against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria and viruses, especially against drug-resistant strains, and have potential applications.
• Antioxidants. Natural antioxidant components in seaweeds, such as carotenoids and vitamin E, can be used in the development of anti-aging and chronic disease prevention drugs.
• Immunomodulator. Seaweed polysaccharides can enhance the function of the immune system and regulate the immune response, which has the potential for the development of immune-enhancing agents and the treatment of immune-related diseases.

Our Services

• Screening and Collection

With abundant marine resources, our platform can identify and screen seaweed species with potential medicinal value, ensuring access to high-quality raw materials.

• Bioactive Ingredient Analysis

Our research center is equipped with advanced high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) equipment, which enables us to efficiently extract bioactive components from seaweeds.

• Chemical Composition Identification

By utilizing cutting-edge analytical techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS), we can accurately identify the chemical components in seaweed extracts, providing a solid foundation for subsequent drug development.

• Pharmacological Activity Evaluation and Mechanism Research

We apply professional cell culture and molecular biology techniques to systematically evaluate the pharmacological activities of seaweed extracts in anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-virus, and anti-oxidation. In addition, we verify the biological activity and safety of seaweed extracts through animal modeling experiments and further study its mechanism of action and metabolic pathway.

• Drug Discovery

With our structure optimization and computational simulation technologies, we can design and optimize the drug structures of seaweed active ingredients to enhance their bioactivity and pharmacokinetic properties. Our team conducts systematic pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies to comprehensively assess the effectiveness and safety of drugs and provide a scientific basis for clinical research.

Reasons to Choose Us

• Strong technical support. Our team covers marine biology, chemistry, and pharmacy scientists who have extensive experience in seaweed research and drug development.
• Advanced technology platform. Our platform is equipped with a variety of extraction and analysis equipment, which can accurately identify and analyze the chemical components in seaweed.
• Customized solutions. We can provide customized services and technical guidance according to the specific needs of our clients.

Related Services

• Development of marine anticancer drug
• Development of marine anti-inflammatory drug
• Development of marine antioxidant
• Development of marine antiviral drug

CD BioSciences, as a marine biotechnology company, is dedicated to providing seaweed resource development services to pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, and academic groups worldwide to facilitate drug discovery and development. To learn more about our services, please contact us.

Reference

• Bilal M, Iqbal H M N. (2019). Marine seaweed polysaccharides-based engineered cues for the modern biomedical sector[J]. Marine drugs. 18(1): 7.

Please kindly note that our services can only be used to support research purposes (Not for clinical use).