IBR boosted by Symrise distribution

A small Israeli biotech company is looking to develop new skin care ingredients following a major increase in its business stemming from a distribution and licensing agreement with international ingredients provider Symrise.

IBR forged its global distribution agreement with Symrise back in July 2005 and says it has not looked back since.

The decision has led to a sizeable increase in its turnover and one that is helping to fund further research and development of new ingredients.

Because the company's ingredients are innovative, patented products, it can only reveal the new ingredients systems are being developed for the skin care segment and will not be ready for the market for some months.

Eastablished ten years ago, the company did not start marketing its range of skin care product lines until 2001, when it bought its colourless carotenoid ingredient to the cosmetic market. The portfolio now also includes dormin, an anti-ageing technology.

"The dormin line basically slows down skin cell proliferation due to its strong anti oxidant properties and has now become a popular ingredient for a host of international cosmetic players," Liki von Oppen-Bezalel, PhD, VP business development marketing told CosmeticsDesign.com.

"We believe that many products actually speed up the process of cell proliferation, which can actually, counterbalancing the efficacy of formulations."

As well as anti-ageing, the dormin line has also proven successful in slowing down the production of melanin as well as the treatment of psoriasis.

Oppen-Bezalel pointed out that it was through the company's work with French cosmetics giant Chanel that it was discovered the ingredient also inhibits the development of melanin, making it an ideal ingredient for skin whitening products.

The company's other line is colourless caretenoids. Favoured by the cosmetics industry because of its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, it is used to give added skin protection in anti-ageing and sunscreen formulas.

"The one down side to normal caretenoids is there bright red to orange colour, which is not always desireable in cosmetics formulation," said Oppen-Bezalel.

"We have developed this ingredient system with a very faint yellow colour that is usually lost in formulation, after all, you don't want to put ketchup on your face," she added.

The company's most recent move is the imminent launch of a colourless carotenoids for the nutraceutical market, in the form of its PhytoflORAL ingredient.

Tapping into the consumer trend for products that provide beauty from within, the ingredients system is expected to provide health benefits and aid stability in a wide range of food formulations.

A study investigating colourless carotenoids for cosmetics applications is due to be published in a peer-reviewed journal next month.