Jakarta, February 2023 - Evergen Resources made another step forward to assist domestic needs of raw material through securing the usage of locally produced astaxanthin in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. With the support from the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), Evergren is making the most of local potentials available for raw materials of astaxanthin.

Evergen, which was honored with the Karya Anak Bangsa Award last year, hosted Dr. Ir. Penny Kusumastuti Lukito, MCP, Head of BPOM, along with her team, at the Evergen facilities situated in Kendal, Central Java. Dr. Ir. Penny Kusumastuti Lukito, MCP, expressed her appreciation for the company, stating, "We are immensely proud and delighted to witness Evergen's development driven by sheer passion. I firmly believe that natural products not only benefit the human body but also have a direct positive impact on the environment."

Commencing its operations in 2019, Evergen focuses on pioneering biotechnological advancements in the cultivation of microalgae for the production of natural astaxanthin. Their flagship product, AstaLuxe™, quickly became a highly sought-after raw material within the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. This month, BPOM supports Evergen as the sole domestic producer of Astaxanthin raw materials, with the aim of replacing imports. BPOM and Evergen will collaborate on the development of regulations pertaining to the standards of astaxanthin raw materials in Indonesia.

Furthermore, BPOM will extend its assistance to Evergen in prioritizing the product registration for the pharmaceutical industry that employs astaxanthin raw materials from Evergen. This represents a robust step taken by Evergen towards achieving national self-sufficiency in pharmaceutical raw materials, particularly astaxanthin.

During the visit to Evergen's state-of-the-art laboratory and microalgae cultivation facility, BPOM also agreed, in principle, to permit the utilization of astaxanthin as a food additive. It has been granted permission for use in food supplements as an antioxidant. Therefore, the application for the inclusion of astaxanthin as a processed food additive will proceed with the support of research data.

Evergen has garnered recognition for its innovative breakthroughs in technology. Correspondingly, BPOM expressed its pride in having a domestic biotechnology company dedicated to the development of natural products that are beneficial for immunity and environmentally friendly.