PhytoNext B.V.

PhytoNext B.V. is a Dutch plant extraction technology company based in Wageningen, specialising in the selective isolation of phytochemicals from plant biomass using a proprietary low-temperature, low-pressure extraction process. The company holds patents on its core extraction method and licenses the technology into the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. PhytoNext also commercialises a separate SubMicron Technology platform for making fat-soluble bioactive compounds water-miscible. The company was incubated within BOX N.V. (Blue Ocean Xlerator) and has a research collaboration history with TOP b.v.. Three commercial ventures have been developed from the PhytoNext technology platform: Becanex, Ofinext, and Phytocine.

Company profile

Founding and background

PhytoNext was established in 2012 in Wageningen, at the Agro Business Park campus that is also home to BOX N.V., the food and life science venture accelerator co-founded by Bert Tournois and Herman Feil. The company’s origin lies in the search for a safe, clean, solvent-free extraction process for producing botanical compounds for the food supplement and pharmaceutical markets.

Co-founder Eral Osmanoglou (MSc Food Technology, Wageningen University & Research) joined TOP b.v. in 2011, where he worked as food technologist and business development manager until 2018. During this period he worked with Mazin Nicola, a pharmaceutical process engineer who had developed a suitable low-temperature, low-pressure extraction method. Together, Osmanoglou and Nicola built a pilot plant with support from BOX N.V. and developed PhytoNext into a licensing and product company. A third inventor, Sander Huurman, is named as co-inventor on later patent filings.

Wouter de Heij — co-founder of TOP b.v. and Food4Innovations — served as advisor to PhytoNext from 2012 to 2019, and is connected to the company through the Holland Food Ventures and BOX N.V. network. Holland Food Ventures was involved in PhytoNext’s early development.

Core extraction technology

The primary PhytoNext extraction technology is a single-step, low-temperature extraction process using liquified fluorinated gas solvents — specifically HFC-134a (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane), optionally combined with co-solvents such as dimethyl ether or n-butane.

Process characteristics

The process differs from supercritical CO₂ extraction in three key respects: lower operating pressure, sub-ambient temperature (which better preserves heat-sensitive terpenes and volatile compounds), and the elimination of the downstream “winterisation” step normally required to remove waxes from CO₂ extracts. Because the fluorinated gas solvent fully evaporates at ambient conditions, the resulting extract contains no residual solvent.

The technology has been applied to a range of target compounds: cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), lycopene, beta-carotene, curcumin, essential oils, and natural preservatives. The commercial brand name PIEX is used in connection with the cannabis extraction application.

Patents

SubMicron Technology

The SubMicron Technology platform, launched in 2021, addresses the poor water-solubility of fat-soluble bioactive compounds. The process breaks oil droplets into sub-micron sized particles using emulsifiers and excipients, producing a concentrated oil-in-water emulsion that can be incorporated into aqueous food matrices — functional beverages, bakery, dairy, and supplement formats.

Target compounds include fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, omega-3 fatty acids) and carotenoids (zeaxanthin, lutein). A powder concentrate version is available for use in bakery applications. The claimed benefit relative to conventional capsule or tablet delivery is improved bioavailability in liquid food formats. The SubMicron technology is commercially available through the domain submicron.nl.

No independent patent for the SubMicron platform has been identified in public filings.

Research collaboration: natural preservatives (TOP b.v., 2016)

PhytoNext and TOP b.v. conducted a joint feasibility study on the extraction of natural preservatives — specifically rosemary-type antimicrobial compounds — from plant material at industrial scale, co-funded by the European Fund for Regional Development. Results were published in March 2016. The study aimed to identify routes for replacing synthetic preservatives (benzoic acid, sorbic acid) with natural plant-derived alternatives effective across non-acidified food matrices including dough, soups, sauces, and processed meats. Partners Euroma and Cargill were involved in this work.

Ventures and spin-offs

Becanex GmbH

Becanex is a joint venture between PhytoNext B.V. (Wageningen) and Laia’s Proteinhanf GmbH (Berlin), established in October 2018. It produces full-spectrum CBD extracts from certified organic European hemp using PhytoNext’s PIEX extraction technology, supplied to the food supplement, flavouring, cosmetics, and pet food sectors with worldwide distribution.

Becanex positions its product as full-spectrum — meaning cannabinoids and terpenes are co-extracted and retained together, matching the phytochemical profile of the source plant — as distinct from CBD isolate or broad-spectrum products. The gentle, low-temperature process is claimed to preserve the terpene profile that is lost in high-temperature solvent or supercritical CO₂ extractions.

Ofinext

Ofinext is a joint venture between PhytoNext B.V. and Lab Ofichem (Groningen), a Dutch pharmaceutical-grade contract manufacturer. Ofinext produces full-spectrum cannabis oil as an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) for the pharmaceutical industry and clinical research, manufactured under current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) guidelines. At the time of its founding in 2019, it was described as the first company in the world to produce cannabis oil on a large scale for medicinal use. Eral Osmanoglou served as co-founder and Managing Director of Ofinext until April 2020.

Phytocine

Phytocine is a pharmaceutical-grade cannabis oil initiative developed in collaboration between PhytoNext B.V. and Service Apotheek Van Weringh (Plantsoen 57a, Wageningen), a specialised compounding pharmacy. Commercial production of pharmaceutical-grade extracts with Dutch pharmacists began in 2022. Products are dispensed on prescription with pharmacy-level patient guidance.

All three Phytocine products are produced from Bedrocan plant varieties. Bedrocan is the Dutch government-licensed medicinal cannabis producer operating under the Bureau voor Medicinale Cannabis (BMC). The PhytoNext extraction process eliminates chlorophyll and plant waxes from the final product, resulting in a clear oil with improved taste and aroma compared to conventional medicinal cannabis preparations.

Network and ecosystem

PhytoNext sits within the Wageningen food and life science innovation ecosystem. Key institutional connections: