Peptide targets skin cell growth

The company says that it is tapping into recent research that shows growth factors - human proteins found naturally in the body - are the best means of fighting the battle against skin wrinkling.

This research has outlined that a variety of growth factors exist, including epidermal, transforming and vascular endothelial.

Indeed, Azure Cosmeceuticals claims that a number of these growth factors have been combined in its new serum together with peptide.

Recent scientific research into growth factors has been awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine for work that created new treatments for skin burn victims, but now the company says it has furthered that research, taking into the anti-aging field.

Its new serum contains Transforming Growth Factor- ß1 (TGF- ß1), which is said to stimulate cells within damaged skin to 'multiply, migrate, and differentiate into normal, fully developed cells'.

" They (stem cells) can be stimulated by growth factors without the need for transplanting; instead, we've just stimulated the cells that are already there," say James Fallon, professor of anatomy and neurobiology at UC Irvine and researcher at Stem Cell Pharmaceuticals, a Seattle-based firm.

The company says that the natural growth factors help to target photoaging damage when it is so bad the skin cells are beyond repair.

Put basically, the growth factors contained in the formulations step in to help stimulate the skin's natural repair mechanism, resulting in the production of new skin tissue and a reduction in fine lines.

Likewise, the serum assists in stimulating new blood vessel formation with the use of a polypeptide caked Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF).

VEGF is helpful in allowing crucial blood vessel permeability, in turn enhancing the penetration of topical ingredients, thus making the serum far more effective.

A recent study by Kline & Company valued the global market for what it terms 'nutricosmetics' at $1bn.

The company forecasts that the market is set to double over the next five years.

To date, the trend has been more marked in Europe and Japan, with the North American market not catching on at the same pace.

However, the number of skin care launches within the cosmeceutical or nutricosmetics category is increasing on virtually a daily basis, with many of the new launches listing peptides as a key ingredient in the fight against wrinkles.

In particular Janson Beckett has been one of the leading players in the US cosmeceuticals field.

It currently markets a peptide-based anti-wrinkle product and more recently extended its market from the confines of the North American market, to make it available on a global basis.