New production line

The world’s number one producer of hyaluronan, in Dolní Dobrouč, increases production capacity by 50%

(Dolní Dobrouč, 14 December 2006)

CPN, part of Contipro Group, has opened a new line for the production of its most successful product - hyaluronic acid. This investment, worth CZK 116 million, will increase the company’s production capacity by fifty per cent. Roughly a quarter of the cost is covered by grants from the European regional development funds and the Ministry of Industry and Trade as part of the project ‘Innovation: Production of Hyaluronan by extraction and the product Hyiodine – global patent’.

The increased capacity will enable the company, already controlling 30% of the world market in its field, to make production much more efficient. ‘CPN is famous in its field of activity for being able to manufacture top-class hyaluronic acid to all levels of purity and molecular mass. Hyaluronic acid can then be put to various uses – from medicine to nutrition – depending on its specific properties. The new line will focus on the production of hyaluronic acid exclusively of a quality suitable for cosmetics and nutrition as this has the broadest range of application,’ explains Zuzana Bubnova, the sales director of Contipro Group, which is the parent of CPN.

Hyaluronic acid with very low molecular weight (10 to 150 kDa) will also be produced on the new line. The cosmetics industry discovered the opportunities offered by this grade only recently, but its application in this sector is starting to intensify because of its interesting results in regenerating skin and supporting its integrity. An important property of hyaluronic acid, which is found naturally in the human body, is its high affinity to water; therefore, it has perfect hydration effects. As a result, hyaluronic acid has several uses in cosmetics and medicine (e.g. eye surgery, the treatment of joints and some types of cancer). It is being increasingly used in the manufacture of food supplements, especially those designed for the correct nutrition of the joints.

Besides quality cosmetics, hyaluronic acid is also used to manufacture Hyiodine. This product supports and speeds up the healing of skin defects in an entirely natural process. It is applied directly to the wound, which receives sufficient hydration and nutrition from the hyaluronic acid. The skin defect then heals better without leaving behind any protruding scars.

Further information:
Zuzana Bubnova, sales director, Contipro Group, 465 520 035, bubnova@contipro.cz
Michal Uryč, Ewing Public Relations, 603 939 285, uryc@ewingpr.cz

Holding profile
Contipro Group is owned by Vladimir Velebny and Petr Pinkas. The group has 117 employees, roughly a third of whom work in research and development. Contipro Group is the world’s largest producer of hyaluronan. At present, it controls 60% of the European and 30% of the world market in hyaluronan, which it has been producing since 1994. The holding focuses on tissue engineering, wound healing, gene therapy and targeted drug delivery. In the field of cosmetics, Contipro Group develops and produces highly active substances for the manufacture of skin-care products, e.g. creams with anti-ageing and anti-wrinkle effects. The holding exports 99% of its total output to 40 countries throughout the world.

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