Editor's Note: This article was originally authored by Qingque, a prominent Zhihu Influencer, and is republished here with permission to share these professional insights with our global audience.
My first business trip of the year was to Singapore to visit the laboratories at the National University of Singapore (NUS).
This laboratory belongs to Professor Barry Halliwell and his research team. On the refrigerator beside the aisle—the team's information hub for important notices—there was a conspicuous report named “Test Report for Ergothioneine from GeneIII Biotech”.
Why would the laboratory at the National University of Singapore have this test report from GeneIII Biotech? Who is Professor Barry Halliwell? And how is his research project connected to GeneIII?
The answers begin the day before the visit. I usually arrive at my destination a day early when traveling for business, leaving ample time to rest and experience the local culture.
The City Gallery is the fastest way to understand a place. This was my first stop in Singapore: to read the story of its journey.
Singapore is a unique miracle in terms of state management. How small is Singapore? Walking around, you can look up and see the Marina Bay Sands—a famous landmark—almost anywhere, with the Merlion right opposite it.
I initially thought this was an exaggeration until I saw the model in the City Gallery; the Marina Bay Sands is visible even from the edge of the island.
As an island nation with an area of 735.7 km²—less than 1/9th the size of Shanghai—land is scarce, agriculture is non-existent, and even fresh water relies on imports. Yet, this country, which started with just an island and barren resources, has created the world's 5th highest GDP per capita and become one of the most internationally competitive economies. While the global economy enters a downturn, Singapore's unemployment rate stands at only 1.9%.
This economic volume created "out of nothing" does not come from market self-regulation, but from the long-term planning meticulously crafted by the Singaporean government.
Starting in 1991, Singapore began to focus on technological innovation, with biomedicine being a key focus. In 2000, the "Biomedical Sciences Initiative" was launched, utilizing national strength and resources to make biomedicine the fourth pillar of the national economy.
Today, the competitiveness of Singapore's pharmaceutical technology products ranks the first in Asia. Eight of the world's top 10 pharmaceutical companies have established production bases in Singapore.
Unlike the path we are familiar with—where urgent medical needs spawned by large-scale wars stimulate pharmaceutical industry development—Singapore's pharmaceutical development follows a completely new trajectory, driven entirely by national strategy.
Who is closest to the talent of the future?
Who can invest in long-term pharmaceutical research without the immediate goal of commercial output?
--The National University of Singapore (NUS).
NUS is so precise that even its courses align with government strategies, specifically training talent needed by the nation. The school has internal research teams and can directly provide research support for government projects.
Professor Barry Halliwell is a pioneer in this field. He served as the Senior Deputy President of NUS for over a decade, effectively the "Number Two" at the university and the top leader in research. He also serves as the Chairman of the Biomedical Advisory Council of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research.
He is an enlightened figure in the field of antioxidants. His book《Free Radicals in Biology and Medicine》 is a classic textbook at Oxford University and is hailed as the "Academic Bible" in the field of free radicals.
Barry Halliwell was the first to discover that free radicals produced by oxidation reactions cause damage to cells. This damage can occur in all tissues of the body, altering healthy and orderly bodily functions.
The "anti-oxidation" we usually encounter merely combats dull skin and wrinkles. However, oxidative damage also attacks our cardiovascular system and neurons, increasing the risk of myocardial infarction, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease.
Professor Halliwell's discovery, like Prometheus stealing fire, reshaped people's understanding of aging and disease through the mechanism of oxidation.
Today, the research team he leads at NUS is still dedicated to exploring the relationship between disease and oxidative damage, solving illnesses that were previously untouchable. The synthetic biology company "GeneIII Biotech" is related to this very plan.
The natural antioxidant selected by Professor Halliwell is Ergothioneine (EGT) which is derived from mushrooms. Compared to common antioxidants, its molecular structure is more stable, and our bodies have a dedicated transport channel for it—the transporter "OCTN1"—which can precisely transport Ergothioneine to the mitochondria, initiating deep repair starting from the cell's power plant.
Ergothioneine was discovered in 1909, but research was stagnant for a century due to the extreme difficulty and cost of extraction.
GeneIII Biotech moved the stuck hands of the clock. As a synthetic biology technology company, GeneIII used self-developed microbial fermentation technology to complete the entire process of Ergothioneine strain construction, fermentation, purification, and engineering mass production. This reduced the raw material cost of Ergothioneine by 90%.
Moreover, the biological fermentation extraction method yields Ergothioneine with no residual impurities, achieving a pharmaceutical-grade purity of 99.99%. It is currently the highest purity Ergothioneine in the world. GeneIII was awarded the CPHI Raw Materials Innovation Award—often called the "Oscar" of the raw materials industry.
Professor Halliwell had previously encountered Ergothioneine raw materials from various sources that were either too expensive or contained too many impurities, which affected experimental results. For GeneIII, holding a globally exclusive, high-purity raw material means it can become a commercial product. But sending it to the person in the world who knows best how to use it unleashes its greatest social value.
In February of last year, GeneIII Biotech and Professor Barry Halliwell held a research cooperation signing ceremony at NUS.
The test report posted on the lab refrigerator displays the trace element content and the 99.99% purity of GeneIII's Ergothioneine. Its presence there signifies that GeneIII is the sole standard for Ergothioneine used in the laboratory.
In less than a year, this collaboration has already birthed amazing results. Professor Halliwell confirmed that Ergothioneine improves fundus macular degeneration. Next, he will utilize GeneIII's Ergothioneine to expand systematic research into neurodegenerative mechanisms related to Alzheimer's disease.
In Singapore, another entity extending an olive branch to GeneIII is the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory（TLL）. It is a non-profit research institute specializing in frontier life sciences, backed by Temasek Holdings.
The direction of cooperation between Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory and GeneIII is Ovarian Anti-Aging.
This is not the commercialized blood-nourishing concept. TLL is researching the functional degeneration of the female reproductive system due to age and lifestyle, exploring scientific paths for delay and reversible intervention.
This addresses a critical reality in Singapore, where the total fertility rate has fallen below 1, second only to South Korea, ranking second-lowest. High levels of education and employment lead young people to prioritize personal fulfillment, and by the time they want to start a family often around the age of 40, ovarian aging makes conception more difficult.
Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory has launched human observation and data collection among 200 volunteers, which includes a systematic evaluation of the role of Ergothioneine. Dr. Yang Qinghua of TLL thanked GeneIII for the contribution its massive amount of Human Clinical Trial has made to scientific research.
In the modern scientific research system, factual clues are the source of scientific discovery. The human clinical Trial carried out by GeneIII Biotech produced reproducible human observation results, providing the scientific community with extremely valuable first-hand evidence and a scientific starting point for deeper research.
The eight human clinical studies currently conducted by GeneIII far exceed the "gold content" of laboratory mouse experiments. GeneIII is the first in the dietary supplement industry to conduct human clinical trial in Chinease Tertiary Grade A hospitals and complete filing with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR).
GeneIII’s willingness to expend enormous time and cost to conduct the most rigorous human clinical trials demonstrates a responsible attitude and absolute confidence in the efficacy of Ergothioneine.
This clinical trial represents GeneIII's commitment to consumers. In the dietary supplement industry, GeneIII is the first enterprise to conduct human clinical trials for oral Ergothioneine in Chinease Tertiary Grade A hospitals and successfully register them with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) under the National Health Commission.
In other words, while the entire dietary supplement field relies on marketing slogans for promotion, GeneIII presents solid, tangible human clinical verification.
GeneIII Biotech has successfully concluded two pivotal human clinical studies: "The Efficacy and Safety Study of Ergothioneine in Improving Liver Function" (National Registry No.: ChiCTR2400093739) and "The Study on Alleviating Dry Eye and Visual Fatigue" (National Registry No.: ChiCTR2400090987).
The results of both trials demonstrated statistically significant improvements, providing robust evidence of efficacy. All relevant registration details and clinical data are publicly accessible and verifiable via the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR).
From a visionary innovator achieving high-purity mass production of Ergothioneine to a pioneering pathfinder exploring its diverse efficacies, GeneIII Biotech has positioned itself at the forefront of the industry, laying a robust foundation for the entire ecosystem. As researchers worldwide continue to explore the potential of Ergothioneine and its profound impact on life and health, esteemed institutions like Professor Barry Halliwell’s team and the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory—organizations driven by a grand vision to create social value—have been early to recognize the unique worth of GeneIII.
This collaboration offers a glimpse into a shared future: one where national boundaries dissolve within the halls of fundamental science, and where strategic planning and market innovation resonate in harmony for the betterment of humanity. That test report from GeneIII in the laboratory of the National University of Singapore is a flicker of light in this emerging landscape, illuminating a new path toward a healthier, wiser world—a world where every nation and every spark of wisdom adds a powerful solution to the equation of human life.
[1] Human Clinical Study Report: Efficacy and Safety Study of Ergothioneine Capsules in Improving Liver Function. Registration No.: ChiCTR2400093739. After 30 days of continuous administration, subjects' sleep disorder scores significantly decreased by 51.56%, and physical fatigue scores decreased by 39.04%. Liver function indicators Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) decreased by 21.52% and 19.64%, respectively.
[2] Human Clinical Study Report: A Randomized, Open-label, Parallel, Self-controlled Human Clinical Trial of Ergothioneine Eye Wash for Improving Ocular Discomfort. Registration No.: ChiCTR2400090987. After continuous use of GeneIII Ergothioneine Eye Wash, the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score decreased by 24.69%, the visual fatigue scale score decreased by 40.94%, and the Tear Film Break-up Time (TBUT) improved by 23.60%–27.74%.
[3] Institutional Filings: GeneIII Biotech has completed filings with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) for research in areas including mild cognitive impairment, kidney health, and ovarian health (e.g., ChiCTR2500112606, ChiCTR2500104484, ChiCTR2500108897, ChiCTR2500111625, etc.).
[4] Cheah, I. K., & Halliwell, B. (2021). Ergothioneine, recent developments. Redox Biology, 42, 101868.
Summary: Published in the authoritative journal Redox Biology, this review summarizes recent research progress on the ergothioneine transporter (OCTN1) in humans, its physiological distribution, its relationship with aging and disease, and its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
[5] Cheah, I. K., Tang, R., Yew, T., Lim, K., & Halliwell, B. (2017). Administration of pure ergothioneine to healthy human subjects: Uptake, metabolism, and effects on biomarkers of oxidative damage and inflammation. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 26(5), 193–206.
Summary: A pivotal early human clinical trial. The study confirms that oral pure ergothioneine is effectively absorbed and enters red blood cells in humans, significantly reducing biomarkers of oxidative damage and inflammation in healthy subjects, providing direct evidence for subsequent human applications.
[6] Wu, L. Y., Cheah, I. K., et al. (2021). Low plasma ergothioneine levels are associated with neurodegeneration and cerebrovascular disease in dementia. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 177, 201–211.
Summary: A significant clinical correlation study. It found that lower plasma ergothioneine levels in dementia patients are significantly associated with more severe pathological features of neurodegeneration and cerebrovascular disease, providing strong epidemiological evidence for the role of ergothioneine in maintaining brain health and preventing cognitive decline.
[7] Halliwell, B., Cheah, I. K., & Tang, R. M. Y. (2018). Ergothioneine – A diet-derived antioxidant with therapeutic potential. FEBS Letters, 592(20), 3357–3366.
Summary: A core review led by Professor Barry Halliwell. It systematically elucidates the potential of ergothioneine as a unique diet-derived antioxidant in cytoprotection, anti-inflammation, and the treatment of potential diseases (e.g., neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases), establishing its foundational theoretical significance.
[8] Wu, L. Y., Cheah, I. K., et al. (2021). Low plasma ergothioneine levels are associated with neurodegeneration and cerebrovascular disease in dementia. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 177, 201–211.
[9] Smith, E., Ott, M., & Peacock, S. (2023). Ergothioneine protects mitochondrial function in mammalian cells under oxidative stress. Free Radical Biology and Medicine, 205, 1–10.
Summary: This research paper provides direct cytological evidence for "ergothioneine's mitochondrial protection capability." The study demonstrates that under oxidative stress, ergothioneine effectively maintains mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production levels in mammalian cells while reducing the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), confirming its core mechanism in protecting mitochondrial function.
[10] Boots, C. E., & Jungheim, E. S. (2021). The role of mitochondria in ovarian aging. Seminars in Reproductive Medicine, 39(1-02), 33–40.
Summary: An authoritative review systematically elucidating that mitochondrial dysfunction (e.g., DNA mutations, insufficient energy production, increased oxidative stress) is a core link driving ovarian aging and the decline of oocyte quality. It provides a solid theoretical framework for viewing "mitochondria" as a key intervention target to delay reproductive aging.
