Psigryph co-founder Dr. Gopi Paliyath was passionate about finding a home in industry for his research (Photo credit: Richard Bain Photography)
Psigryph, an innovative company built on University of Guelph research into naturally derived nanoparticles to deliver nutrition and medicine into cells, has been named one of Canada’s most investable cleantech firms by cleantech accelerator Foresight Canada.
The innovative Guelph-based company was co-founded in 2018 by Department of Plant Agriculture researcher Dr. Gopi Paliyath, who passed away in September 2022, and entrepreneur Sean Thompson.
“It's an honour and privilege to lead the commercialization efforts for the globally important inventions from Dr. Gopi Paliyath’s lab,” says Thompson. “I'm saddened that he is no longer with us to see his work being recognized by groups such as Foresight Canada. However, in honour of his memory, we are determined to continue on our journey to bring his inventions to those who can benefit from them.”
Psigryph has caught the attention of global players interested in improving their environmental footprint and health-promoting products, and is working on applying its technology to agriculture to reduce on-farm greenhouse gas emissions.
Innovation grows in Ontario
Paliyath specialized in biochemistry and physiology.
His flagship discovery, now commercialized by Psigryph as Nanopect™, involves naturally derived, biodegradable nanoparticles from Ontario-grown Montmorency sour cherries.
These particles can help deliver nutritional or therapeutic compounds directly to cells of a person, plant or animal.
Getting nutrients or medicines into the cell where they can be used by the body can be a challenge. For example, complex processes determine how much of a vitamin supplement will be absorbed and used by the body or excreted as waste ― a characteristic described as bioavailability.
Nanopect can improve bioavailability, says Thompson. He likens the compound -- which contains the unique fruit nanoparticle discovered by Paliyath – to an express mail delivery service.
“Our technology is like the packaging that goes around the material to stabilize it so it can be delivered efficiently inside cells,” Thompson says.
Although the company was established to enhance the uptake of food nutrients and pharmaceuticals, its technology can also benefit agriculture.
The nanoparticles may help reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with poorly absorbed non-protein nitrogen (NPN) in animal feed and fertilizers. Nanopect could increase the amount of NPN absorbed by plants and animals, reducing excess nitrogen in the soil. Less soil nitrogen means less food for the microbes that turn it into greenhouse gas and release it into the atmosphere.
Unique U of G ecosystem sprouts success
Psigryph‘s success is growing internationally thanks in part to several U of G funding and entrepreneurship programs.
Paliyath obtained New Venture Creation support from U of G’s Research Innovation Office (RIO) to create the company.
“Dr. Paliyath has a long history of entrepreneurship and was always seeking out opportunities for research outcomes to find a home in industry,” says Steve De Brabandere, director of technology transfer and industry liaison at RIO. He worked closely with Paliyath on several licensing and development projects.
Nanopect was developed with funding support from Mitacs and the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a collaboration between the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and U of G. The Alliance provided funds for research and commercialization through its Gryphon’s LAAIR program.
In 2021, the company secured seed financing and it is now enrolled in the prestigious Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA), which connects Canadian start-ups with American market partners.
In February 2023, U of G expertise was recruited again to form the inaugural scientific advisory board for Psigryph, called PsiSAB. PsiSAB includes U of G faculty members and graduate students who collaborated with Paliyath and who will continue to guide development and commercialization of the Nanopect technology.
“This tremendously deserved honour for Psigryph, which is fitting testimony of Dr. Paliyath's legacy, epitomizes the success that can come from bridging academic research and entrepreneurship,” says Dr. Malcolm Campbell, vice-president (research).
“The University of Guelph promotes researcher initiative and ingenuity to convert fundamental ideas into ultimate real-world impacts. RIO helps researchers catalyze the conversion of discoveries into innovations, launching those innovations commercially so that they get into the hands of people who can benefit from them.”
Psigryph continues to seek and obtain international research and development contracts, including with the United States, Europe and Japan.
Psigryph was also accepted into the MassChallenge Switzerland 2022 Accelerator as part of the Health Tech Solutions track. Of 1,112 applicants, Psigryph was one of only 100 companies invited to participate, and one of only two Canadian companies. This accelerator provides participants with connections to large corporate partners, access to cash prizes and opportunities for investment.
Paliyath’s research contributed to several other start-up companies over the past two decades.
“Gopi was not only a brilliant scientist, but he was also a great collaborator, able to connect the dots between disciplines in order to create innovations, and he was always interested in the application of innovations in the real world,” says Dr. Rene Van Acker, dean of the Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph. “It is why he consistently worked with industry partners and wanted so much to see innovation in action."
The company expects its first product to be launched in 2023.