A7 Secondary Metabolites · Standardised crude / semi-purified extracts · 5–10 species

Screen ten lichen species for antioxidant, antimicrobial and antiproliferative activity — and end with a ranked shortlist, not a maybe.

Standardised extracts of Pseudevernia furfuracea, Lobaria pulmonaria, Cetraria islandica, Evernia prunastri, Umbilicaria hirsuta and related species, profiled by HPLC/LC-MS and tested in 2D and 3D viability models plus DPPH and in vitro antimicrobial assays. Eight to twelve weeks from inquiry to a shortlist with the data behind the ranking. From € 8 000.

Propose a screening pilot Request the Lichen Panel technical brief

Evidence: Peer-reviewed 2023 · profiling data
Stage: Pilot-ready · 8–12 weeks
Indicative: € 8 000 – 40 000lead isolation quoted individually

The screening methodology is published: Kello et al., Plants 2023;12(3):611. Compound-level comparative antioxidant data is published separately: Elečko et al., Plants 2022;11(8):1077 — where compounds were compared per mole rather than per unit weight, which is the comparison that survives translation into a formulation dose. All results are in vitro. Ingredient status, safety dossiers and market claims remain the responsibility of the partner placing the product on the market.

The problem this solves

Natural-actives programmes usually stall at the same point: there is a plausible botanical story, no comparative data, and no defensible way to decide which candidate gets the formulation budget. Lichen chemistry is chronically under-screened relative to plant extracts — which is precisely why the chance of finding something your competitors have not already licensed is higher here.

Scientific summary

Rather than starting from a single compound, this panel screens standardised extracts from several lichen species at once and then narrows down. Our published screening study used extracts of Pseudevernia furfuracea, Lobaria pulmonaria, Cetraria islandica, Evernia prunastri, Stereocaulon tomentosum, Xanthoria elegans and Umbilicaria hirsuta, with antiproliferative testing in 2D and 3D models plus antioxidant and antimicrobial assays.

Why this is usually the right first project

It answers the commercial question — is there anything here for us? — before you commit to a single compound. You end a panel with a ranked shortlist and the data behind it, which is exactly what an internal go/no-go decision needs. Lead isolation on the winning fraction is then quoted separately.

Applications

Discovery screening across species
Antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiproliferative triage
Lead fraction identification
Chemical profiling of natural material

Assays & readouts available

HPLC and LC-MS profiling of extracts
Cell viability in 2D and 3D models
DPPH antioxidant testing
In vitro antimicrobial testing
Fractionation towards lead isolation

Specification

Material	Standardised crude and semi-purified extracts, 5–10 species
Evidence status	Published screening methodology (in vitro) · profiling data per project
Publication	Kello M et al., Plants 2023;12(3):611 — doi:10.3390/plants12030611
Typical pilot	8–12 weeks from inquiry to shortlist
Deliverables	Profiling data, assay results, ranked candidate shortlist, technical report
Engagement	Feasibility scan · pilot · follow-on lead isolation
Indicative price	€ 8 000 – 40 000 · lead isolation quoted individually

What happens next

Book a call or send an inquiry. Tell us the target, the application and the timeline.
We answer within three working days — including when the answer is that we cannot help.
NDA before disclosure, if you need one. Tick the box on the form.
Feasibility scan or pilot proposal with a defined scope, deliverable and price.

Book a 30-minute discovery call Send an inquiry

Common questions

How many species are in a panel?

Five to ten, agreed with you before the pilot starts. The published study used seven.

Can we supply our own material?

Yes. Profiling and assay work can be run on material you send, under NDA.

What exactly do we receive?

HPLC/LC-MS profiles, assay protocols and raw readouts, a written technical report, and a ranked shortlist of active candidates with the data behind the ranking.

Is lead isolation included?

No. Isolation of the winning fraction is quoted separately once the shortlist exists.

Can we use the result as a marketing claim?

No. These are in vitro results. Ingredient status, safety assessment and claims are regulated separately in each market and remain your responsibility.

How does an engagement start?

With a free 30-minute discovery call. We establish whether there is a fit and what the right next step is. Nothing is committed at that point.

Can we sign an NDA before we describe our project?

Yes. Tick the NDA box on the inquiry form and we arrange it before any disclosure.

Are the prices on this site binding?

No. They are indicative ranges so that you can size a project before contacting us. Final terms are negotiated per scope.

How quickly do you reply?

Every inquiry is acknowledged within one working day and answered by the responsible group leader within three.

What happens if you cannot help?

We say so, early, and where we can we point you to someone who can. A negative feasibility answer delivered quickly is a useful result.

Related in Secondary Metabolites

A1Lead compound

Depside · Umbilicaria hirsuta

Gyrophoric Acid Platform

The best-characterised compound in the portfolio. Published work reports ROS production, apoptosis and modulation of Akt, Erk1/2 and p38 MAPK in HeLa cells, with a validated isolation protocol giving high-purity material.

Evidence: Peer-reviewed 2019 · mechanistic dataset
Stage: Pilot-ready · licensing open
Indicative: € 8 000 – 35 000negotiable by scope and application

View details Discuss this

Depsidone · Hypogymnia physodes

3-Hydroxyphysodic Acid Antioxidant Line

The strongest radical scavenger in our comparative metabolite study — and the comparison was made per mole rather than per unit weight. That distinction matters when you translate a screening result into a formulation dose.

Evidence: Peer-reviewed 2022 · DPPH + superoxide
Stage: Pilot-ready · licensing open
Indicative: € 5 000 – 25 000negotiable by scope and application

View details Discuss this

Depside · Reference metabolite

Atranorin Bioactivity Line

A widely cited lichen compound with repeatedly published bioactivity, included in both of our screening studies. A dependable reference compound and panel anchor for antiproliferative, antioxidant and antimicrobial work.

Evidence: Peer-reviewed 2022 & 2023
Stage: Pilot-ready · licensing open
Indicative: € 4 000 – 22 000negotiable by scope and application

View details Discuss this

Tell us what you are trying to achieve.

A free 30-minute call establishes whether there is a fit and what the right next step is. Every inquiry is acknowledged within one working day and answered by the responsible group leader within three.

Book a 30-minute discovery call Send an inquiry instead