Sirona Biochem develops de-pigmenting agent for cosmetics
Specializing in carbohydrate chemistry technology, the company is focused on three programs, cosmoceuticals; therapeutics; and biological ingredients.
Within the cosmoceuticals category, the company’s focus has been on developing anti-aging and de-pigmenting specifically as skin lightening agents.
De-pigmentation
“The development of this de-pigmenting agent marks the start of Sirona Biochem’s expansion into the cosmeceuticals market,” stated Mark Senner, President of Sirona Biochem.
“We believe our carbohydrate chemistry technology has tremendous potential in the development of new cosmetic ingredients.”
TFChem, a subsidiary company of Sirona Biochem, has apparently gathered a consortium of companies to evaluate the chemistry, the toxicity and the efficacy of the de-pigmenting agent.
Furthermore, the company has submitted an application to the France-based industry association Cosmetic Valley, to be considered for a grant to boost the project. The company hopes to tap into the association's resource center for cosmetic expertise, research and training.
Additionally, Sirona Biochem has stated its belief in cosmeceuticals and biological ingredients as high value programs with lower development costs and shorter development timelines, while also highlighting the fact that the current skin lightening cream market is valued at in excess of $10 billion worldwide.
Carbohydrate chemistry
Sirona Biochem claims to have developed a chemistry technique to improve the pharmaceutical qualities of carbohydrate-based molecules.
These molecules perform numerous roles in living organisms and thus are essential to life.
As such, these molecules break down easily due to their complexity and become toxic, in turn making them difficult difficult to develop, according to the company.
However, it claims to have developed a fluorination technique to maintain the integrity of carbohydrate-based molecules even after exposure to enzymes, which typically have a negative effect.
This proprietary technique, has allowed Sirona Biochem to explore the immense opportunities carbohydrate-based molecules can offer.
Its research team believes this method can be applied to the development of drugs to improve their properties, discontinued drugs that may have been shelved for stability reasons, or for the development of new products for cosmetics and biological manufacturing.
