Frontier IP Group PLC (LON:FIPP) has revealed the part it played in the development of a technology that reduces the chances of wine becoming corked.
The company noted that the world's leading producer of cork products, Corticeira Amorim has announced a technological breakthrough to remove the major cause of cork taint in wine from natural corks – a chemical compound called TCA (2,4,6 – trichloroanisole). Frontier IP said this breakthrough came about as a result of Amorim's collaboration with the company’s partner university, NOVA University of Lisbon – NOVA School of Science and Technology.
Frontier IP supported the Centro de Fisica e Investigação Tecnológica research unit of FCT NOVA in engaging with Amorim to commercialise the new technology. The AIM-listed intellectual property (IP) group played an important role in negotiating the terms of the commercial agreement, including the licensing terms.
FCT NOVA's technology, branded "Naturity" by Amorim, removes TCA as well as other volatile compounds from natural corks. Naturity is based on a process that combines temperature, water and pressure without affecting the performance and integrity of the cork, Frontier IP told investors.
Amorim has separately developed a second technology able to reduce TCA from micro-agglomerated stoppers. These are made from tiny granules of cork bound together with specialist food-binding agents. Natural corks are made from a single piece of cork.
Under the terms of the agreement, Frontier IP receives an equity stake in companies created by FCT NOVA, as well as a share of the licensing revenue generated. Since the agreement was signed, three spin-out companies have been created in other fields, Frontier IUP revealed.
"It is encouraging to see this technology coming to market with the world's leading producer of cork products. More generally, we are pleased with the strong progress being made with FCT NOVA and look forward to reporting further developments from our partnership, both in terms of portfolio companies and future industrial collaborations,” said Neil Crabb, Frontier IP Group’s chief executive officer in a statement.