Chocolate may or may not be good for your health, but food giant Nestle isn’t taking chances when it comes to profitable business developments. The food maker is looking to build its medical products division, with its latest entry a diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s disease.
Nestle’s announcement is the second time in a week that the company has released news about a new deal for its small but growing medical products division, according to a Reuters story. Late last week the company announced it was collaborating on a new treatment for ulcerative colitis, a chronic disease of the large intestine sometimes called inflammatory bowel disease.
Nestle has been making larger investments in medical technologies over the last two years, as the sector generally has higher profit margins than the company’s traditional food businesses. The Alzheimer’s project, a collaboration with the Swiss biotech firm AC Immune, will be based on a test for a protein that creates brain markers that signal the onset f Alzheimer’s disease.
Nestle already has injectible skin wrinkle treatments and other medical products on the market, though its medical products division is still a small part of the company’s portfolio. A company spokesman said Nestle expects medical products may eventually make up 10 percent or more of the company’s overall sales.