The placement of novel and innovative product by a young and innovative company has to fit in a general strategy. Additional values can be achieved if the company's competence grow in a niche of an in principle big market.

Bitop's general aim is to apply the strategies of evolution to general new bio-products and innovative production procedures. World-wide new and exclusive produced products are Ectoine, Hydroxyectoine and Mannosyl-Glycerate which are novel compatible solutes from halophilic bacteria. Those compounds are widely applicable in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and as biochemicals[1]. Those compatible solutes serve as preservatives and stabilisers of biomolecules, cells and tissues. Possible applications are the utilisation as protectants for enzymes against physical or chemical stress [2], as additive in PCR [3], as excipient in pharmaceuticals or as optimiser for the highly efficient periplasmatic expression of recombinant proteins [4].

Bitop produces those natural compounds via "bacteria milking" - an innovative fermentation procedure without the need of destroying the cells [5].

[1] M.S. da Costa; H. Santos; E.A. Galinski; Biochemical Engineering/ Biotechnology; Vol. 61; 117-153;1998

[2] E.A. Galinski; K. Lippert; General and Applied Aspects of Halophilic Microorganisms; 351-358; 1991

[3] G. Malin; A. Lapidot; Journal of Bacteriology; Vol. 178; No. 2; 385-395; 1996

[4] M. Huhn; S. Barth; A. Matthey; V. Klimka; A. Diehl; L. Engert; Annal. Hemmatol; 77 Suppl II; 84; 1998

[5] E. Frings; T. Sauer; E.A. Galinski; Journal of Biotechnology; 43; 53-61; 1995