Our impact
Sharing benefits with knowledge holders
Kadence Bio's medicinal chemistry is inspired by the South African medicinal plant, kanna. We aim to preserve ethnobotanical knowledge and habitats, with a focus on reciprocity with traditional knowledge holders.
We are proud to have signed a benefit-sharing agreement with the South African San Council (SASC) under the Nagoya Protocol. This agreement ensures fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of indigenous knowledge, and informs beneficiaries and South African authorities about our activities from the outset. It recognizes the San hunter-gatherers as primary knowledge holders and also includes contributions to the Paulshoek/Nourivier communities.
❝This best-practice agreement stands as an example of how a benefit-sharing agreement can be concluded with local communities by the biotech industry that draws on indigenous plant use knowledge as a departure point for pharmaceutical drug discovery and development. Transferable key elements of the negotiations leading to this benefit-sharing agreement include the existence of historical records of plant use, a recognized body representing the beneficiary community, mutual good faith, frank and open dialogue, and experienced independent legal counsel engaged by the beneficiaries.❞
Dr Nigel Gericke, Senior Advisor and Founding CSO
Not just words
Kadence Bio aims to raise awareness about the therapeutic areas we tackle and participate in volunteering initiatives focused on education, knowledge preservation or environment. We are determined to make a difference not only through our development programs, but also through our actions.
We recently took part in the Chase the Moon charity run in Battersea Park in London. We run for the Movember Foundation, the lead charity changing the face of men’s health.