The Tōtara tree
A tree that inspired a biotechnology breakthrough.
For centuries, New Zealand's native Tōtara has been renowned for its extraordinary resilience.
Māori valued Tōtara for waka (canoes), carvings, fortifications and shelters. Early European settlers used it for wharves, bridges, fence posts and buildings. Time and again, the wood demonstrated an uncommon ability to resist decay, insects and environmental degradation.
Some structures remained remarkably intact after hundreds of years. Scientists wanted to understand why.
In the early 1990s, a collaborative group of New Zealand and international researchers began investigating the Tōtara tree's exceptional durability. Their research led to the discovery of a powerful bioactive compound concentrated within the heartwood of the tree: Bioactive Totarol™.
This naturally occurring molecule was found to be responsible for many of the protective properties that had made Tōtara legendary for generations.
That discovery became the foundation of what would later become Hyperganic. Today, after more than 30 years of research and development, Bioactive Totarol™ is being harnessed for applications across personal care, human health and animal health — unlocking the potential of one of New Zealand's most remarkable natural defence systems.
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A sacred connection to nature.
Tōtara holds deep cultural significance within Māori tradition.
Often regarded as a noble tree, it features throughout Māori history, storytelling, healing and craftsmanship. It has long been viewed as a connection between the natural and spiritual worlds, with roots reaching into Papatūānuku (Mother Earth) and branches extending towards Ranginui (Sky Father).
For generations, Tōtara has represented strength, endurance and continuity.
These same qualities continue to inspire our work today.
Sustainably sourced. Never harvested.
We never cut down living Tōtara trees. Bioactive Totarol™ is sourced exclusively from naturally fallen Tōtara and forestry by-products that would otherwise become waste.
Through our proprietary extraction process, we recover and extract the active molecule while preserving the integrity of New Zealand's native forests. What was once overlooked or simply unknown becomes a source of scientific innovation.
A circular approach inspired by nature itself.
The legacy continues.
For hundreds of years, Tōtara protected itself against the forces that degrade and weaken living systems.
Today, Bioactive Totarol™ enables formulators and researchers to harness that same protective intelligence in entirely new ways. A molecule discovered in the heartwood of an ancient tree.
Refined through biotechnology. Proven through science.