US ingredient maker buys up French research business

New Jersey-based ingredients manufacturer International Speciality Products has acquired skin research and biofunctional active ingredient developer Vincience.

ISP, which is a global supplier of specialty chemicals and performance-enhancing products for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and food industries, is aiming to step up its research and development resources in an effort to up its capabilities in the fast evolving and rapidly expanding skin care segment.

"Vincience, which is an industry leader in cosmetic active ingredients and skin science research, will be an additional and crucial engine for developing and innovating our ISP personal care franchise," said Anthony Giorgio, ISP VP for corporate development.

"This enables us to bring highly innovative new skin bio-functional molecules to the marketplace," he added. "The Vincience deal does not necessarily introduce ISP to any new customers or regions. Rather, it expands the capabilities and product line which we can offer our existing customer base."

The company is particularly chasing growth in the anti-aging segment, where the development of increasingly complex and effective formulations is helping many cosmetic companies to make claims for effective anti-wrinkle treatments.

Vincience was formerly known as Societe D'Extraction Des Principes and is located in Sophia Antipolis, Côte D'Azur, southern France. The company uses a broad spectrum of technologies to produce complex and highly functional active ingredients.

The company specializes in synthetic biopeptides for anti-ageing, anti-wrinkle, slimming, anti-oxydant, and skin repair agents; Biotechnologic active ingredients derived from micro-organisms, marine plancton and microalgae; Biomolecules extracted from botanical sources with strong efficacy data involved in anti-ageing, anti-wrinkles, hypersensitive skins, anti-irritation and slowing hair growth, and original purified marine active ingredients.

According to Giorgio, the acquisition of Vincience will help the company to focus on proprietary, and predominantly botanical and natural-based active ingredients for wrinkle reduction, wrinkle prevention, skin lightening and pigmentation, skin hydration and repair.

Vincience Skin Research Centre employs around 25 research scientists and markets its products globally to a customer-base comprised of leading cosmetic and personal care product companies.

"The acquisition of Vincience represents a significant step in ISP's continued strategy of delivering innovative, functional products to our customers and evidences our commitment to remaining one of the world's premier suppliers of specialty skincare ingredients. We welcome the employees of Vincience into the ISP family," said Sunil Kumar, ISP's CEO.