Root of goodness
New Zealand Listener|May 20-26 2023
A Wellington woman’s dream of turning plant remedies into approved medicines grew from experience
Caitlin Sykes
Root of goodness

Cynthia Hunefeld recalls drawing a circle around a small country at the bottom of her world map, at the age of 10, as her family made plans to emigrate from the Netherlands to New Zealand. Those plans changed soon after, however, when her father became seriously ill from an infection that developed into sepsis, and left the once fit and healthy firefighter permanently disabled.

Her father’s experience planted a seed in Hunefeld’s mind that she’d one day like to help others fighting illness. Now, that’s grown into a business that has ultimately taken root in the country she circled on the map all those years ago.

Hunefeld is founder and CEO of Evithé Biotechnology, a Wellington-based biopharmaceutical company, which is identifying and developing novel, patent-protected medicines derived from plants. Founded in 2017, Evithé is now working on its first botanical drugs to treat chronic inflammation – oral products targeting arthritis based on ginger.

Arthritis is one of our leading causes of disability. Key to the three drugs in development is their ability to target multiple triggers of disease by harnessing how plants respond to threats in the natural world, says Hunefeld.

Esta historia es de la edición May 20-26 2023 de New Zealand Listener.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición May 20-26 2023 de New Zealand Listener.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE NEW ZEALAND LISTENERVer todo
First-world problem
New Zealand Listener

First-world problem

Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Applying intelligence to AI
New Zealand Listener

Applying intelligence to AI

I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.

time-read
2 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Nazism rears its head
New Zealand Listener

Nazism rears its head

Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.

time-read
2 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Staying ahead of the game
New Zealand Listener

Staying ahead of the game

Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Grasping the nettle
New Zealand Listener

Grasping the nettle

Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Hangry? Eat breakfast
New Zealand Listener

Hangry? Eat breakfast

People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.

time-read
3 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Chemical reaction
New Zealand Listener

Chemical reaction

Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Me and my guitar
New Zealand Listener

Me and my guitar

Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.

time-read
2 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
Time is on my side
New Zealand Listener

Time is on my side

Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?

time-read
7 minutos  |
September 9, 2024
The kids are not alright
New Zealand Listener

The kids are not alright

Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.

time-read
4 minutos  |
September 9, 2024