(From left) Minister Sean Sherlock, TD; Richard Fernandes, CEO, Luxcel Biosciences Ltd; and Yujiro Ueda, director, Sigematsu & Co Ltd.
Luxcel Biosciences Ltd’s products are heading into the Japanese pharma and academic markets, now that the University College Cork spin-out company has signed a distribution agreement with Shigematsu & Co Ltd.
Shigematsu & Co Ltd is a Japanese trading company servicing the pharma, diagnostics, chemical, food, electronics, universities and public institutions within the food, retail and chemical sectors.
The agreement was signed during this week’s Enterprise Ireland trade mission to Japan which is being led by Ireland’s Minister for Research and Innovation Sean Sherlock, TD.
“Luxcel’s innovative and scientifically advanced products are ideal for the Japanese life-sciences market,” Sherlock said.
“I strongly congratulate Luxcel on securing this important distribution agreement which will enable them to secure even greater penetration and grow their business in this very important, high-potential market.”
Richard Fernandes, CEO of Luxcel, added that Japan is a market with enormous potential, particularly for innovative, technically driven products, such as the sensors and related biological and analytical tests and solutions for cell biology, food and beverage safety and packaging research and development that Luxcel develop.
“Securing such a strong and established partner in Shigematsu speaks volumes for the technologies we offer and is vital when penetrating such a complex market space,” said Fernandes.
Luxcel Biosciences Ltd is a producer of non-invasive optical sensors that monitor oxygen levels in food, beverage and pharmaceutical packaging.
Improper oxygen composition in faulty packs can hasten the deterioration of the product, reducing shelf life and posing risks to the consumer.
The development of cost-effective methods to monitor packaging is critical to ensuring the quality and safety of retail packed products.
Pharma companies worldwide also use Luxcel sensors in cell biology research in the development of new therapeutic drugs.
