There are some markets that consumers use every day without considering what that market has to offer. A consumer pumps gas and drives the car, a faucet is turned and water comes out. There are millions of these markets that go unnoticed. Nonetheless, they exist and are very profitable. Finding a company that works in these invisible markets is a good way to find profit.
Redpoint Bio Corp., a biopharmaceutical company, works to develop taste blockers and enhancers for the pharmaceutical, food and drink markets. Currently, the company has collaborative programs running with the Coca-Cola Company and Givaudan Inc. regarding non-alcoholic drinks and medication taste.
The company works at the molecular level to understand how taste is detected and used by the body. To this end, it has found a correlation in the ion channel, or the transport mechanism that interprets bitter and sweet tastes, and the way that people respond to those tastes. Ultimately, this work will translate into sales when manufacturers begin to consider using less sugar and other sweeteners. Another application that could find significant market potential includes taking medication. Capsules and many other medications can have a bitter taste. With the company’s research and application, the bitter quality could be removed from the taste equation. In either event, the market potential after implementation is nothing short of immense.
Although the company is just getting itself moving in this fairly new portion of the biopharmaceutical market spectrum, it is making rapid progress toward bringing a product to market. Two primary patents have been issued to solidify the company’s position, and two large partners –in one form or another – have been signed. Modifying and adjusting the human perception of taste has been going on for millennia. Redpoint Bio appears ready to add a significant page to the story, and is also ready to profit significantly by it.
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