By Jareason Fabre

BULACAN – After a breakthrough collaboration that earned global recognition in 2024, Bauertek Farmaceutical Technologies Corporation and Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) sealed another partnership to scale up the production and commercialization of MMSU’s “black gold.” A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed today, September 15, at Bauertek’s Research, Manufacturing, and Development Facility in Guiguinto, Bulacan.

The MOA was inked between Bauertek General Manager Richard Nixon Gomez and MMSU President Dr. Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr., represented by Vice President for Research, Development, and Innovation Nathaniel Alibuyog. Witnessing the signing were Innovation and Technology Director Armie Sabugo, RAISE R1 Program Leader and Research Director Dionisio Bucao, Bauertek Project Administrator Lydia Agustin, Black Garlic Technology Developer Milen Fileza Inocencio, and Black Garlic Powder Developer Eleazar Grande. 

Under the agreement, Bauertek commits to exclusively purchase Black Garlic Powder from MMSU, with a maximum annual volume of 250 kilograms. In turn, MMSU grants Bauertek the exclusive and non-transferable right to use the powder for the development, manufacturing, and marketing of Black Garlic capsule products, as well as other products derived from the technology.

General Manager Gomez said Bauertek is excited to deepen its partnership with MMSU through this exclusive deal, stressing the company’s confidence in the university’s quality outputs.

Dr. Alibuyog thanked Bauertek for its continued trust in MMSU technologies, expressing optimism for an even stronger collaboration in the future. He said the university looks forward to winning more international awards together while bringing innovations closer to the people and creating greater impact in the community.

As part of the event, the MMSU delegation also toured Bauertek’s state-of-the-art facility, where the company shared its ongoing research initiatives and expansion plans in the field of health and wellness.
The technology behind Black Garlic was pioneered by former MMSU President and now CHED Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis, together with Milen Fileza Inocencio and Thomas Ubiña. The powder variant was later developed by Mr. Grande, Dr. Bucao, and Dr. Walter John Iduria.

This collaboration builds on Bauertek and MMSU’s earlier success, when the Black Garlic Food Supplement won the E-nnovate 2024 Gold Award (Pharma Category) at the International Innovation Summit in Krakow, Poland. Studies have shown that the phytochemicals in Black Garlic possess antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, support cardiovascular and immune health, and may help manage diabetes.

Bauertek, a premier manufacturer of supplements in the country, has been a partner of MMSU since 2022, collaborating on initiatives that range from herbal product development to pharmacy internship programs.