With the acquisition, BASF extends its portfolio of omega-3 products for the pharmaceutical and dietary supplement industries with a new offering of highly concentrated omega-3 fatty acids.
Adam Kelliher, former owner and founder of Equateq, said: “ Bringing together the two companies allows us to combine the global market reach and the long-time experience of BASF with the unique technologies of Equateq.”
Equateq has a production site located on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland with 47 employees. Equateq with all its employees will be integrated into the Pharma Ingredients & Services unit, which is part of BASF’s nutrition and health division.
The integration is expected to be completed by the end of 2012. The companies have agreed not to disclose financial details of the transaction.
Equateq’s proprietary chromatographic separation methods allow flexible formulation of omega-3 fatty acids at exceptional purity levels.
Martin Widmann, senior vice president, Pharma Ingredients & Services at BASF, said: “Equateq’s technologies will enable us to customise fatty acid concentrates with variable ratios of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) at concentration levels of up to 99% purity. This is unique in the market.”
In nutritional applications, especially dietary supplements, relevant essential fatty acids serve specific health conditions – for example eye health, brain health or heart health.
in pharmaceutical products, highly concentrated omega-3 fatty acids are used to treat cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction. “By extending our product range of omega-3 fatty acids, we show once more our commitment to the health and well-being of consumers all over the world,” Dissinger said.
Source: BASF
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