Process development for a sustainable and unique cosmeceutical ingredient

消费者非常关注化妆品污染和使用可能引起皮肤刺激或过敏反应的合成成分。然而，使用未经提炼的天然成分并不总是能产生所需的功效。另一方面，生物技术活性成分具有较高的活性功效，且来源清洁、可持续，是一个具有强大潜力的新市场。此外，随着COVID-19对世界各地卫生系统和经济的影响日益加剧，全球制药和生物技术行业？有生命吗？扮演的角色。外托氨酸是一种环状氨基酸，其功能为许多耐盐细菌提供渗透平衡。其固有特性之一是作为酶、dna -蛋白质复合物和核酸的高效稳定剂。为了利用这些特性，各个行业已经开始将依图碱作为一种新型的活性成分用于医疗保健和化妆品的销售。依托因已被证明能够保护皮肤免受干燥、紫外线照射，并积极影响与慢性阻塞性肺病相关的肺部炎症。这种生物技术成分是由微生物合成的最有价值的产品之一，在化妆品和制药行业零售。Activatec是一家位于诺丁汉的研发初创企业，将与诺丁汉大学合作开展为期9个月的项目，开发一种利用微生物联盟生产Ectoine的创新技术。他们将用一个多升的发酵系统来验证这项技术，该系统将生产小批量的最终产品，并生成数据，以便开发大规模生产。这一创新将提供一种具有成本效益的有价值的化合物的制造工艺，可用于护肤应用。除此之外，还将评估该技术在技术和商业经济方面的潜力。该项目将推动英国首次将生物技术成分商业化，以满足市场需求并减少化妆品行业的碳足迹。随着该产品在护肤品行业的成功应用，我们将进一步开拓市场，如制药和医疗保健。此外，该项目将在2019冠状病毒病疫情期间促进Activatec的业务发展，为诺丁汉郡当地创造新的商业机会、可持续的就业机会和增长。

Consumers are greatly concerned about cosmetic pollution and the use of synthetic ingredients which can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions. However, the use of unrefined natural ingredients does not always give the efficacies required. Alternatively, biotech active ingredients are a new market with strong potential, as these ingredients can have a high activity efficacy and are derived from clean and sustainable sources. Moreover, as COVID-19 tightens its grip on health systems and economies around the world,?the?global pharma and biotech sectors?have a vital?role to play.Ectoine is a cyclic amino acid, whose function provides osmotic balance to a wide number of halotolerant bacteria. One of its inherent properties is as a highly effective stabilizer of enzymes, DNA-protein complexes and nucleic acids. In an attempt to harness these attributes, various industries have begun to market Ectoine as a novel active component in health care and cosmetics products. Ectoine has been demonstrated as being capable of protecting the skin from dryness, UV irradiation and positively influence lung inflammation associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This biotech ingredient is one of the most valuable products synthesized by microorganisms, retailing in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry.Activatec, an R&D-based start-up in Nottingham, will collaborate in a 9-months project with the University of Nottingham to develop an innovative technology to produce Ectoine by utilising a microbial consortium. They will validate the technology with a multi-litre fermentation system, which will produce small batches of the end-product and generate data to allow the development of large-scale production. This innovation will provide a cost-effective manufacturing process of the valuable compound which can be formulated into skincare applications. Alongside this, the potential of the technology both technically and business-economically will be evaluated.This project will be a driver towards the commercialisation of a biotech ingredient for the first time in the UK that will meet market requirements and reduce the carbon footprint of the cosmetic industry. Following the successful application of this Ectoine in the skincare industry further markets will be explored, i.e. pharma and healthcare. Furthermore, this project will boost Activatec as a business during this COVID-19 outbreak creating new business opportunities, sustainable jobs and growth in the local Nottinghamshire area.