New, active ingredients for use in skin care and make-up formulations have been created in Campania, Italy, using novel techniques. The ingredients were derived from agri-food sources and plant cell cultures, developed with biotech approaches.
SPIC – Plant-based skin, hair and make-up products developed in Italy
- 27 September 2019
As Arterra we are completely satisfied with the results achieved by the project. Besides having enriched our portfolio of cosmetic ingredients, the project gave us the opportunity to work on new research concepts, such as the rejuvenation activity produced by the newly discovered growth factor, GDF11, and the melatonin modulated circadian rhythm in skin cells.
The beauty products developed by the SPIC project are intended for skin rejuvenation, hair care and make-up. Three molecular and cellular testing platforms to screen the innovations and to identify new active ingredients to be used in cosmetics were developed.
Ten new active ingredients were identified, six of which were introduced to the cosmetics market. Prestigious cosmetics customers were granted exclusive use of two of the other ingredients.
Collagen stimulating and rejuvenating activity
The project developed screening platforms to identify active ingredients with dermo-cosmetic applications. One of these platforms was based on the recently identified growth factor known as GDF11, which can enhance the production of collagen and other important structural proteins in skin cells. The project was the first to offer ingredients acting through GDF11 to the cosmetics market.
Another platform was based on a cellular receptor known as MT1, which is the receptor of an important hormone - melatonin. Melatonin modulates the body’s natural circadian rhythm. It is particularly active in skin cells at night, stimulating collagen production and cellular antioxidant defenses.
The third platform focused on the measure of important markers of hair growth and wellness, and allowed for the identification of potentially new compounds capable of improving hair and scalp condition.
Active plant ingredients
Of the 10 new active ingredients developed by the project, six were derived from plant cell cultures obtained through biotechnology. Four were derived from food by-products – plant materials from Italy’s agri-food industry. This food ‘waste’ was obtained from the chestnut, artichoke and pomegranate production chains.
Using these home-grown products is environmentally sustainable as they save resources such as water and soil. They safeguard natural biodiversity and protect endangered species. The products developed in the project will be evaluated for other biological applications in the biomedical and food health fields.
These products will expand the Italian cosmetics market, making the project partners more competitive domestically and in foreign markets. The developed ingredients will be taken to the industrialisation phase to increase sales.
New personnel were hired. This included two researchers and two lab technicians. Three scientific articles describing some of the results obtained in the project were published in international journals.
Videos
http://www.ponic.gov.it/sites/PON/gallery/videohttp://arterrabio.it/grants.phpTotal investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “SPIC” is EUR 1 970 550, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 1 265 011 through the “Enterprises and Competitiveness” National Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Research and innovation”.