Frutarom, Ilex Medical Enter into Exclusive Cooperation Agreement

Frutarom Industries Ltd., Haifa, Israel, through its subsidiary, Frutarom Ltd., and Ilex Medical Ltd., through its subsidiary, CapsiVit Biotechnology Ltd., have signed an exclusive agreement to commercialize unique know-how developed by the Volcani Institute, with funding from CapsiVit, to produce a natural extract from the Capsicum annuum L. plant as a highly bio-available source of carotenoids, and particularly, the powerful antioxidant capsanthin. In its natural form, capsanthin is not bioavailable to the human body and only a small amount is processed by digestive enzymes and absorbed into the blood. This patent-protected technology enables industrial use of enzymes found naturally in the human digestive system to process capsanthin and allow significant bio-availability. The agreement with Capsi­Vit gives Frutarom an exclusive global license to manufacture and market the unique natural extract, based on patented know-how, worldwide.