Biotechnology Company Produces Medical Collagen

Medical Collagen from Biotechnology Firm

ESKIŞEHIR (AA) - DENİZ AÇIK

A female entrepreneur Gamze Kara Mağden, who transformed her biotechnology company established in 2017 in a 40-square-metre space in Eskişehir into a production facility with 500 square metres of enclosed area, continues her efforts to introduce domestically-produced medical collagen manufactured under the "Zero Waste Project" to foreign markets. Mağden developed her project following the production of collagen used in R&D activities from cattle tendons at her company established in Eskişehir Technology Development Zone with support from the TÜBİTAK 1512-Technopreneurship Capital Support Programme and KOSGEB Entrepreneurship Support Programme. Working with a team of 6 people at Eskişehir Wholesalers Business Center (ESTİM), Mağden completed her project to produce domestically-sourced medical-grade collagen, which she started in 2019. Aiming to provide the necessary domestic raw material supply for the biotechnology sector to achieve a sustainable and effective structure in Turkey, Mağden continues serial production to meet domestic market demand. BUGAMED Biotechnology founder Gamze Kara Mağden said that since 2017 they have been working for the medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors with the goal of creating high-value products based on sustainability and waste recycling. Mağden, noting that they continued their journey started at a 40-square-metre facility at the technopark in a 500-square-metre production facility at ESTİM, spoke as follows: "In 2020, we received 1 million lira in investment from TRAngels Angel Investment Network and Alesta AŞ, established our pilot-scale facility and completed the necessary accreditations. At this stage, we are not only serving the R&D market. We produce medical-grade collagen which we have transferred to serial production under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions and offer it for use by the pharmaceutical, medical device and cosmetics sectors. Unlike collagen frequently mentioned in the market, in medical-grade collagen we process raw materials that the sector has not valued, processing them in a way completely compatible with the structure found in the human body without damaging the bond structure. Thus, we produce a product that is adaptable to the healthcare sector, of high quality and with a difference in terms of purity. Our product, which is in the position of critical raw material for the medical device sector, is used for example in the treatment of tissue damaged following surgical operation or as the primary raw material of membranes developed in the dental sector, while in the pharmaceutical sector it is preferred in biotechnological drug development processes. In the cosmetics sector it is used in product groups which we define as dermocosmetic." Seeking Recognition in Exports Gamze Kara Mağden stated that they are primarily meeting the needs of domestic companies with domestically-produced medical collagen. Referring to her targets regarding medical collagen covered through imports, Mağden said, "Our objective is to capture a share of the export market. We are conducting product development work with various companies in Europe and the US. We will soon implement our export-focused growth plans."