TECH OFFERS

The impact of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) on society is one of our biggest global challenges as it adversely affects the quality of life of patients. This irreversible disease also poses tremendous physical, emotional, and financial burdens to their family, the community medical system, and the entire social economy.  The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a few prescription drugs (i.e. Aricept® (donepezil), Exelon® (rivastigmine), Razadyne® (galantamine) and Namenda® (memantine)) for the treatment of AD. These prescription drugs can help reduce or delay some symptoms, but not cure AD.  The possible side effects of these drugs range from mild symptoms that include nausea, vomiting, headache, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, to severe symptoms that include slow heartbeat, heart block, gastrointestinal bleeding and ulcers. As stated in the 2012 Consumer Reports, the monthly medication cost of these prescription drugs is around US$200 to US$400 per AD patient.  In light of this, we have invented a patented formulation by modifying the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulation, Huang-Lian-Jie-Du-Tang (HLJDT, 黃連解毒湯).  Our research findings prove that the modified HLJDT (HLJDT-M) can reduce the accumulation of protein plaques and fibrous nodules (i.e. amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) and tau aggregates) in the brain that leads to rapid death of neurons and deterioration of brain function. HLJDT-M has given more significant therapeutic and pharmacological effects in treating AD with low cost and extremely low side effects. As a pioneer in the modified HLJDT formula (HLJDT-M) study, our research findings offer convincing pieces of evidence that this patented formulation is an effective, safe, and low-cost option for AD treatment and improvement of memory disorders in AD patients.  HLJDT is a famous traditional Chinese Medicine formula, which consists of four herbs, i.e. Rhizoma Coptidis (RC, 黃連), Radix Scutellariae (RS, 黃芩), Cortex Phellodendri (CP, 黃柏) and Fructus Gardeniae (FG, 梔子). It is widely used in treating stroke, senile dementia, inflammation, digestive system upsets, and cerebrovascular disease. HLJDT-M comprises RC, CP, and FG but excludes RS. It is safe for human intake as the original HLJDT has long been used by medical professionals in China and Japan. In our studies, HLJDT-M treatment at a concentration of 12.5 μg/mL could have significant therapeutic effects without biotoxicity. When compared with the original HLJDT, the HLJDT-M has a far more significant Aβ-reducing effect. In addition, HLJDT-M promotes the degradation of Aβ and tau aggregates in both laboratory and animal experiments.  Currently, there is no cure for AD and none of the medications have been shown to be more effective than the others. We suggested a pharmacological treatment that addresses the key causer (i.e. Aβ) in the pathogenesis of AD. HLJDT-M has fewer side effects than conventional drugs and can be regarded as a promising herbal formulation to prevent and/or cure AD. HLJDT-M is a TCM recipe that could be a dietary therapy for AD. It is suitable for most people as it has low side effects.  The cost of HLJDT is about US$50 per 200g. For an effective treatment, it is suggested to have HLJDT-M be orally administered at 15-35 mg/kg/day for at least three months, it indicates that the daily cost is less than US$1. Thus, it is cheaper than the current prescription drugs approved by the FDA. With an affordable price of less than US$1 per day, HLJDT-M can be taken as a health supplement or a non-prescription medicine for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases like AD. Through the investigation of molecular interactions, we hope to extract several major monomers in the formulation and create a new drug with molecular size for the treatment of AD.  HLJDT-M is an effective, safe, and low-cost option that could give hope to patients with AD. It also helps prevent and delay the onset of AD. This herbal formula is cheaper than the current prescription drugs as approved by the FDA. With extremely low side effects, it provides a safer and cheaper alternative option for the treatment of AD. Alzheimer's disease, Chinese Medicine, amyloid β, Huang-Lian-Jie-Du-Tang Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals & Therapeutics, Foods, Ingredients

Many of us love the warmth and brightness of the sun; however, sun exposure often causes damage to our skin. When our skin is exposed to sunlight, which is the primary source of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, our skin gets darkened, damaged or causes various aesthetic problems, such as wrinkles, blemishes, scarring, freckles and chloasmata. These are due to the oxidative stress (i.e. generation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS)) in the epidermal and dermal layers. Occasionally, the UV-induced damages may even lead to the development of melanoma (i.e. a type of skin cancer). The invention is a specific class of natural compounds in a well-known Chinese medicine. The product gives skin whitening effect and improves skin condition. It is safe to use and is now available on the market. Melanin is a natural pigment in both humans and animals that makes hair, skin, and eyes colour darker. The said compounds possess both anti-melanogenic and anti-oxidative properties. In our studies, they showed a significant inhibitory effect on melanin-making cells (i.e. melanocytes) and the generation of oxidative free radicals and ROS. Besides, they are safe-proof (i.e. at least five times higher dose than the renowned anti-oxidative compound trans-resveratrol).  As these natural compounds are safe and able to reduce melanin formation in human, they should be decent depigmentation compounds against skin darkening and their antioxidant competence. In view of this, these compounds are the pertinent ingredients for the formulation of skin-whitening and skincare cosmeceuticals. Our study has provided solid pieces of scientific evidence that the use of our compounds can serve for skin protection and skin whitening purposes. These compounds can be used as multi-functional constituents for cosmetic and skincare products. Besides, they are potential nutraceuticals for skin protection and skin whitening. The active components are not only safe for applying on skin, but also for oral administration at a certain level of quantity. Anti-ageing, herbs, Natural, Organic, Skin Whitening, Skincare Personal Care, Cosmetics & Hair

The majority of the local indoor farmers grow crops that are harvested for their leaves. One way to increase the growth rate of such leafy greens is to provide a longer period of light. However, some of the crops grown, e.g., spinach, are long-day plants that flower when the light periods are longer than their critical day-length. While important to a plant’s life cycle, this vegetative to reproductive phase change is undesirable for farmers, not only because it shortens the harvest period hence reducing the yield, but also because it changes the taste profile. To tackle this problem, a light recipe that was able to suppress flowering was formulated. Plants grown under this light recipe showed a faster growth rate than those grown under flowering-suppressing short-day photoperiod. Moreover, they do not flower even when the light period has surpassed the critical day-length. Positive results were obtained when this light recipe was tested on spinach and arugula. This technology would work for other long-day crops, and it will be beneficial to indoor farmers who are interested to try it. The technology uses lights of different wavelengths to control the molecular switches, the phytochromes, of plants. It tricks the plant into suppressing its floral transition even when the long-day photoperiod is conducive for flowering. This is an improvement compared to the usual method of just providing short-day photoperiod to suppress flowering as the growth rate is now faster. This is particularly useful for crops, such as spinach and arugula, that can be harvested multiple times. With this extended harvest period, growers can have more cycles of continuous harvest within one batch of plant growth, thus increasing their yield. No additional chemical or Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) are used to achieve this flowering repression. This LED light recipe is suitable for: Farmers who are looking to improve and increase crop yields Indoor farms that use LED lightings Lighting developers or producers can be potential partners to provide this technology as a package. Customer benefits include - Increased yield through: The extended harvest period for crops that supports continuous harvesting Overall reduction of waiting time for plant establishment during lag phase Customizable recipes to suit different crop types We have completed the current proof-of-concept stage and are looking for project collaborators or consultancy projects to test the technology on the client’s crop choice. increase crop yield, growth rate, indoor farming, LED light recipe Life Sciences, Agriculture & Aquaculture, Sustainability, Food Security

The most common cryopreservation media used in laboratories consist of 10% DMSO and 20% to 90% fetal bovine serum (FBS). DMSO was thought to reduce the size of ice-crystals during freezing, thus reducing mortality whereas FBS improves the viability of cells during recovery.  Although effective for cryopreservation of most cell types, FBS poised significant risks, including the possible risk of cross-species virus infections such as the “mad cow disease”, as well as the possibility of triggering an adverse immunogenic response from the recipient. Our serum-free cryopreservation formula allows the cryopreservation of mammalian cells without the need for serum. The technology utilise a product from insect cells to replace serum in the cryopreservation media. Since insect cells are very distant from mammals, there is less likelihood of cross-species viral infection. The formula was comparable to the traditional serum-containing formula commonly used to cryopreserve mammalian cells. Furthermore, when tested against 3 different mammalian cell lines, our serum-free cryopreservation media has comparable post-thaw cell survival and recovery when comparable to 3 commercially available cryopreservation media. Cryopreservation of cell line for Research and Development (cell culture) Cryopreservation of cells for clean meat production Cryopreservation of cells for cell banking Cryopreservation industry was estimated to be worth USD2.2 Billion globally and cryopreservation reagents are estimated to be worth 20% share of the total value (estimated USD 440 million) A novel method in cell preservation without the need for blood product. For the cell preservation industry, preserving cells using this technology could reduce the risk of cross-species virus infections such as the “mad cow disease”, as well as the possibility of triggering an adverse immunogenic response from the recipient. cryopreservation Life Sciences, Industrial Biotech Methods & Processes, Biotech Research Reagents & Tools

This Technology Offer allows automation of the process of monitoring stock levels in the warehouse, and when they drop below a certain threshold, trigger a certain event.  This technology can be used to address the following challenges: What items are on the shelf? What is the current inventory level? What items need to be restocked? How many items need to be restocked? This technology can automatically trigger material top-up quantity from a cloud platform to suppliers, based on visual signals using webcams. Two types of technology concepts are used: 1) Webcam scans AR code to detect stock to be replenished or 2) Webcam compares area occupied vs empty (ROI image area mapping), and calculates stock to be replenished Thus, stock management can optimized and no longer require storage in warehouse; they can be directly sent to Centralized Packaging, hence saving staging space & inventory. This technology would be useful for companies that are interested in automating the warehouse processes. This in turn could reduce the time and manpower required to do inventory checks. The technology can also be applied in places with high turnover stock rates or unpredictable selling rates, e.g., pharmacy or supermarket. This technology allows for automatic monitoring and top up triggering of inventory levels, thus reducing time and manpower required to do inventory checks. Inventory Management, Logistics, Warehouse Management Logistics, Inventory Management

By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the world earth’s estimate 9.8 billion population will reside in urban centers. In addition, factors such as climate change, limited arable land and pollution will make indoor farming an attractive option. Current technologies used in traditional farming will definitely be inadequate and for Singapore, it will be even more vital to achieve food security with limited resources.  The technology described herein consists of a horticultural LED system that can eventually help to address 2 main concerns of urban farming - operation cost and crop yield. The predictive algorithms can help to predict important lighting information necessary for indoor farming. This lighting information is crucial for end-user (e.g. farmers) to formulate their own “light” recipe for optimizing the growth rate of their crops. In addition, it has analytics features that can assist in analysing DLI, energy costs, etc. for improving crop yield. The technology owner is seeking partners to collaborate through various modes including technology licensing and test bedding. Software functions: 1)     Personalised configuration The software is designed for seamlessly configuration and can be configure separately and independently for different shelf. This configuration can be fully automated to allow for different environmental parameters at different time frames or growth phases of the crops.  2)     Smart analysis The software can perform analyse and predict the light recipe the plant canopy is experiencing. Parameters subjected to analysis includes light map, light ratio, etc. This will shorten the time needed for end users to measure these parameters greatly, and hence improve productivity.  In addition, the software allows users to set time periods to run pre-set light intensity according to individual desired needs, effectively automate the system. The software platform is catered for different plant stages from propagation, growth to flowering at any indoor facilities such as indoor vertical farm as well as in research centers for crop research and development. The system can be apply to the following segments of the market, which can utilize this platform includes the following: Controlled plants R&D for pharmaceutical use Urban food production Vertical farms Laboratories/research/education institutions Hobbyist Cost saving Optimise crop yield Reduce R&D time Versatility of the lighting for different crops/growth period Scalability (dependent on the number of LED) Wide coverage (~ 2 km indoor)

Fermentation is an old method used mainly for food preservation. However, when the technology is well known and controlled, it can be a great asset for:1. Taste: improving the taste of foods and drinks or providing exotic flavors (umami)2. Texture: Improving the structure of foods and drinks by making them smoother, more tender or creamier, or in gluten-free baked products, making them crispier, chewier or with improved raising doughs.3. Nutrition value: improving the bioavailability of vitamins and minerals or other health promoting compounds.4. Health: when foods and drinks are fermented with probiotic bacteria, they can improve gut healthy and consumers lifestyleAny food company interested in having a premium quality in their product portfolio, should partner with us to developed better foods.We own the bacteria used for improving foods and drinks as well as the knowledge of how to use them in product development. The technology is based on more than 20 years of experience of isolating, studying and using microbes for the development of fermented plant-based ingredients which improve the taste, texture, nutrition value or healthiness of the food products using them.Our fermentation technology uses:- All kind of lactic acid bacteria- All kind of yeasts- All kind of moulds Our fermentation technology can be used for any plant-based ingredient. These fermented ingredients can then be used:1. Probiotic flavored waters, juices, smoothies, yogurts, cheeses, porridges (for gut health, better digestibility and nutritional value)2. Fermented cold coffees and teas (for gut health and nutritional value)3. Fermented green bean coffee for roasting (exotic taste and lower acrylamide)4. Fermented grains, pulses and all kind of flours (better digestibility, texture and nutritional value)5. Koji and miso from alternative sources (umami taste)  Global market size from the most relevant markets where fermentation technology can be used:Fermented                889 B USD (2023)  - CAGR 5%Healthy                     812 B USD (2021) - CAGR 6%Natural (Clean)         192 B USD (2023) - CAGR 13.7%Probiotics                   69 B USD (2023) - CAGR 7.0%Digestive health          58 B USD (2025) – CAGR 7.3%Healthy snacks           33 B USD (2025) - CAGR 5.1%Plant-based                 6.5 B USD (2028) - CAGR 7.1%Gluten-free                 4.9 B USD (2021) - CAGR 7.7% Food industry is looking for alternatives ways to have premium attributes that will make them stand out from the rest of competitors. Fermentation is starting to be very well known by the final consumer for improving their gut health and general wellbeing. Because of these, fermentation technology offers what food industry is looking for and we can help them use this technology and create premium food products for them. fermentation Foods, Ingredients, Quality & Safety, Processes

Human DNA contamination is an issue in the process of manufacturing devices for molecular and genomic applications. Such devices need to be certified human DNA free for sensitive downstream processes. Therefore, there is a need to monitor human DNA residual level in factory surfaces and in final products. The technology provider had identified a novel target for detection of human DNA and developed a highly sensitive PCR based detection method for presence of human DNA based on this target. They have demonstrated that the method is specific, sensitive and with low cost. Compared to a commercial kit available in the market, this method is at least 500 times more sensitive. This method will be a valuable tool for device manufacturers. In addition, it can also be applied on forensic as well as environmental samples. Furthermore, the principle of the method can be adapted to detect other animal species for either identification or monitoring purposes. The said method is simple and reproducible. It meets the requirement described in the ISO 18385 standard (Minimizing the risk of human DNA contamination in products used to collect, store and analyse biological material for forensic purposes-Requirement) in terms of detection sensitivity. One of the key advantages of this innovation is its superior sensitivity level in human DNA detection. When compared with a commercial human DNA detection kit on the market, thismethod demonstrated at least 500 times higher sensitivity when performed under comparable conditions in parallel. The primary application will be for certification of human DNA-free in manufactured products. With this test, products can meet higher standard of requirement especially in the molecular biology and genomic DNA related applications. Therefore manufacturers can broaden its market reach and add value to their products. This method can also be applied identification of human remains in forensic samples. With higher sensitivity level, efficient routine tests procedure can be established by using less samples volume or even pooled samples. The overall test cost will be lower.   DNA, DNA detection, PCR Healthcare, Diagnostics, Medical Devices, Chemicals, Agrochemicals, Analysis

Multiple Pickup and Delivery Planning (MPDP) is very common in both passenger and cargo transport operations. However, due to the planning complexity, it is impossible to quickly generate good solutions manually to support daily transport operation planning. The MPDP solution developed by the team is able to close the gap by quickly generating transport plans for multiple vehicles with multiple pickup locations and multiple delivery locations. Web-based application. No installation required and easy to access Capable of handling multiple complex constraints, such as different time windows, different vehicle types, different vehicle departure times, different vehicle start and end locations, Visualisation of jobs and planned routes on both map and Gantt chart Flexible for human planner to overwrite the existing plan with drag-and-drop feature The MPDP solution can be applied to two potential areas. The first area is passenger transport planning for Book-a-Ride, bus pooling and carpooling services. The MPDP solution is able to quickly generate high quality plans either in advance or in real-time to replace the manual planning. The second area is cargo delivery planning in the logistics industry. The potential users include packed food delivery to consumers from different restaurants, courier service providers who provide same day pickup and delivery services, premier transport service providers who provide 2-hour delivery services etc. The solution will facilitate the human planner to assign travel routes based on the vehicle’s current location, vehicle capacity, service requestor’s start and end location as well as service start time. The solution will also consider the drivers break time, vehicle departure location and end location. Moreover, the planning and scheduling engine developed is able to run in the background to assign passengers to vehicles automatically. This feature can also be used for the real-time planning of last minute transport service requests. The solution can be applied for both passenger service providers and logistics industry players for delivery planning. Potential users includes of Dial a Ride (DAR) service providers and logistics opterators that provide same day pickup and delivery courier services.  Provide better service to customers Reduce operating cost by cutting vehicle traveling distance on the road Improve vehicle utilisation to generate more revenue Infocomm, Enterprise & Productivity, Logistics, Planning & Order Processing, Transportation, Delivery & Distribution