Apoptosis is defined as a process of deliberate cell suicide in a multicellular organism. It is one of the main types of programmed cell death (PCD), and involves an orchestrated series of biochemical events leading to a characteristic cell morphology and death.

The apoptotic process is executed in such a way as to safely dispose of dead cells and fragments.

Apoptosis is a crucial element of the ontogenesis of multicellular organisms. Any aberration in it may lead to neoplastic events, to cancer and to death of the entire organism. Therefore, the Fermentek "Apoptosis related products” are of use in biological and medical research. Some have been the basis for the development of novel drugs.