This project aims at developing an innovative and commercially competitive production platform for high value products as Astaxanthin and Omega-3, to be used for human nutrition or aquaculture. Astaxanthin is a pigment primary produced by microalgae: this carotenoid has a strong antioxidant power and it is used in different fields as healthcare, food/feed supplementation and as pigmenting agent in aquaculture. However, cultivation of the main microalgae species producing Astaxanthin is costly due to low biomass productivity or low Astaxanthin content, causing an extremely high price of this molecule on the market. Marine microalgae are also the primary producers of Omega-3, very long chain fatty acids, essential components of high quality diets for humans, being related to cardiovascular wellness, and proper visual and cognitive development. However, due to the high cost of microalgae cultivation, the market of Omega-3 is mostly based on fish or krill oils, with high costs and environment impacts associated. New sources of Astaxanthin and Omega-3 must thus be implemented: based on the results obtained in ERC-Stg-SOLENALGAE, an innovative, low cost and high productive strategy can be proposed for simultaneous Astaxanthin and Omega-3 production in the robust and fast growing marine microalgae species Nannochloropsis gaditana. The main objectives of the ASTAOMEGA project will be: 1. To validate to a demonstration stage the ASTAOMEGA system 2. The assessment of the market size and market requirements, through extensive market analysis 3. The identification of the best suitable commercial route to be undertaken to take the ASTAOMEGA system to the market, as inception of a spin-off company and/or the licensing agreements on the IPR exploitation with the interested end-users (see LOIs). The ASTAOMEGA team is confident that the outcomes of this project are poised to exert a beneficial impact on the European microalgae industry and nutraceuticals market

Auto-immune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammation-associated brain diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD) globally make up a €45B market and cost society close to €648B. The huge number of patients with these diseases causes an enormous socioeconomic burden. Currently, MS, AD and RA affect 120M people worldwide. There is no cure for AD and treatments for autoimmune diseases are not fully effective and reducing the inflammatory component in these diseases is a key strategy. As a result of our ERC StG NEUROTRAFFICKING we found that a natural molecule, which is Coenzyme A precursor (CoAP), modulates leukocyte trafficking and has anti-inflammatory properties that are, however, limited in effectiveness due to fast breakdown in the gut. Our preliminary data demonstrate that derivatives of CoAP hydrolysis are devoid of antiinflammatory effects and that intact CoAP is required for its therapeutic effect in mouse models of MS and AD. The goal of IMPEDE is to develop a proprietary formulation of CoAP that protects it from hydrolysis and its disulphide bonds from degradation. This provides a novel and highly promising therapeutic approach for the inflammatory diseases, either for combination or stand-alone treatment. A patent application for this novel CoAP formulation has been filed. Subsequent steps will be taken in IMPEDE to generate and validate a more effective product through improved formulation and to prepare further regulatory and IP strategies, design a business strategy and perform market research. Overall, IMPEDE offers a rapid valorisation of the ERC StG grant on one hand and of the novel CoAP formulation on the other hand. It will generate a novel CoAP formulation with high therapeutic potential in autoimmune diseases and other inflammatory diseases.