Putting nature back into medicine.
Evithé Biotechnology is a bio-pharmaceutical company that develops novel, patented botanical and multi-target pharmaceutical prescription drugs from ginger rhizomes.
Inflammaory disease are the number 1 cause of death and disability worldwide.
Evithé Biotechnology is inspired by nature and has a pipeline of botanical and pharmaceutical prescription drugs that can address a range of disease targets to get to the root of inflammatory disorders such as Rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and sepsis.
Botanical drugs are prescription medines that are intended to cure, mitigate, treat of prevent diseases.
Consumer surveys identified that 78% of patients prefer a Botanical Drug over a synthetic chemical. Botanical drugs have a short pathway to market and are available on prescription in the US, Europe & Asia.
Watch an in-depth interview with Cynthia's journey in founding Evithé and her mission of commercially developing complex botanicals.
The team
Cynthia Hunefeld
Founder & CEO
Mrs Hunefeld dedicated her life, work and studies in ethnobotany, plant medicine, Post graduate Diploma in clinical research and Masters in Innovation & Commercialisation to the development of botanical medicines.
Alan Sutton
Chief Science Officer
Alan provided contract bioanalysis on clinical trial samples for several major pharmaceutical companies. He joined GW Pharmaceuticals in 2001, forming and managing the analytical chemistry department developing methodologies for characterisation of complex botanical materials.
Kylie Watt
CFO
Dr Sebastian Ceron
Operations Assistant
Sebastian completed his training as a medical doctor, gaining clinical and research experience in international institutions. In 2024 he completed his Masters degree in Clinical Immunology at Victoria University to understand and apply the concepts of the immune system into clinical research.
Allan MacDonald
Director
Allan is an experienced director active in international markets for over 30 years. After successful careers with Mobil and Sony, he helped to establish the CSI (food) group of companies within New Zealand.
He has developed an extensive skill set through his involvement in opening and building international markets and scaling companies. With his skill in developing enduring relationships with clients, suppliers and other stakeholders – including overseeing complex contract negotiations and helping to guide innovative and groundbreaking Product development programs, he brings a wealth of experience to the Board to help with Evithé’s rapid growth.
Lorraine Thomson
Independent Director
A Master of Business Administration from New Zealand’s leading business school at the University of Auckland, Lorraine has a particular focus on innovation and strategic growth. She is an ArcAngel investor and an experienced company director on five boards, including the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute.
She is a former award-winning journalist, editor, publisher and author. Titles she has edited include New Zealand Pharmacy journal and also sub-editor of The National Business Review.
Dr Jane Calvert
Legal Advisor
Registered Trans-Tasman patent attorney with a PhD in Organic Chemistry. Jane has unique knowledge of both biotechnology and botanical drug development as well as the requirements for innovation and commercialisation pathways.
She brings a wealth of practical experience in building a companies intellectual property portfolio from start-up to large corporate from laboratory to public listing.
Watch Evithé's founder Cynthia Hunefeld talk about the story behind Evithé.
Evithé biotechnology is inspired by the way that plants have evolved over thousands of years and has found a way to harness their actions into novel botanical drugs with the intention to cure, mitigate, treat or prevent disease in humans.
The Botanical Drug Development Project won multiple awards including:
- The AMP Regional Scholarship Award
- The KiwiNet - Momentum Student Entrepreneur Award
- Pre-Seed grants that supported the development of a novel botanical drug
- Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment - Getting Started Grant
- Fiji Trade Commission & Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade collaboration towards Fiji Farmers certification