Aquapharm in deal to create skin products
13 July 2011
Scottish marine biotechnology company Aquapharm Biodiscovery has struck a new deal with Croda International, the chemicals and cosmetics group, to develop “next generation” skincare products from marine microbes.
The company, which is based at Dunstaffnage, near Oban, said the first of these products is expected to be on the market by 2013.
Aquapharm signed its initial research contract with Yorkshire-based Croda in 2008, but has now struck a renewed contract with its cosmetics subsidiary, Sederma.
Under the terms of the deal, Aquapharm will “advance a shortlist of naturally sourced candidates identified during the collaboration towards the market”.
The company last year announced the appointment of Simon Best, the former Human League manager turned biotech entrepreneur, as its chief executive.
Mr Best yesterday told The Herald:
“Croda are going ahead with 12 strands that have been extensively tested in pharmaceutical screening, and all of them have been identified as having either anti-inflammatory or anti-oxidant qualities, or both.
“It’s unknown at this stage exactly what the new products will be, because we’re just supplying the ingredients. But Croda is one of the few companies in the world that take natural ingredients like ours and make them into products, which are then taken up by companies such as Procter & Gamble and L’Oreal.
“Because these strands contain anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant qualities they are ideally suited for haircare and skincare products.”
He added: “This confirms the rich potential of our marine microbe collection as a source of next generation cosmetic ingredients. We are now on course to see the first of our products launched to market as early as 2013.”
For several years, Aquapharm, which employs a staff of 28, has been building its a proprietary microbial library of potential new drugs, treatments and antibiotics from the microbes collected from marine environments around the world.
The sea produces chemicals of shapes and structures that are not seen on land. Marine scientists have long believed there is a greater diversity of molecules in the oceans, because that is where life evolved.
Scotland’s seas are some of the most prolific producers of marine microbes in Europe.
Aquapharm has sampled marine habitats ranging from shallow brackish waters to the cold oceanic depths as far down as 4500 metres to build up its specialised library of more than 8750 marine bacteria and fungi. Mr Best said around 10% of its library had been collected in Scottish territorial waters.
The global personal care market is valued at £175 billion and continues to grow at a rate of nearly 5% a year.
Aquapharm last year raised £4.2 million of funding from existing investors Amsterdam-based Aescap Venture, Tate & Lyle Ventures, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and NESTA.
The company also said it expects to conclude further collaborations with personal care, nutrition and beverage partners in the near future.
Reproduced with the permission of The Herald, Glasgow© Newsquest (Herald & Times) Ltd.