Sunscreens are an effective way to protect skin from ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage. UV radiation causes damage to DNA and causes the formation of oxidizing compounds in cells. Thus, sun care producers are eager to find safer, more effective, environmentally friendly active ingredients that have broad consumer acceptance.
The UV radiation flux on the early Earth was much higher than today. Cyanobacteria thrived on early Earth by evolving mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), which absorb radiation through the entire UV spectrum and act as powerful antioxidants. These properties could significantly improve sunscreen products and encourage more frequent consumer use, helping to combat the skin cancer epidemic. The use of MAAs has the potential to revolutionize sun care, but economical, industrial-scale purification of MAAs remains elusive.
With funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), HelioBioSys, Inc., a California-based biotechnology company, is pioneering a novel approach to purifying MAAs from marine cyanobacteria. The cyanobacteria are grown in scalable tubular photobioreactors under controlled conditions, including targeted UV exposure to increase MAA yield, and then harvested with standard centrifugation. The cells are then lysed through osmotic stress and re-centrifugation, yielding a cell lysate containing MAAs. To date, MAA identification and purification have relied on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), which is not scalable.
▲ The tubular photobioreactor shown grows HelioBioSys’s consortium of cyanobacteria at the Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation (AzCATI), located at the Arizona State Univ. campus in Mesa, AZ.
To address this challenge, HelioBioSys has developed a patented purification method using synthetic nucleotides called aptamers to separate the MAAs from the remainder of the intracellular compounds. The aptamers are highly specific to the suite of MAAs produced by the cyanobacteria, resulting in high-purity materials. Aptamer-based chromatography purification could solve the purification puzzle and bring MAAs to the commercial sunscreen market as an alternative to current mineral and chemical filters.
“Spectrophotometric data using our suite of MAAs indicate they can boost commercial sunscreen UV radiation absorption substantially,” says CEO Rocco Mancinelli. “When added to a lotion with no sunscreen, the MAAs provided UV absorption equal to that of commercial formulations.”
In addition to the MAAs, the company’s family of cyanobacteria produces extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) that possess rheology-modifying properties, serve as emollients, and promote collagen production. Incorporating both EPS and MAAs creates multifunctional formulations — such as anti-aging sunscreens — that appeal to consumers.
Due to regulatory considerations, HelioBioSys will initially use MAAs as a booster in mineral-oxide-based products before seeking approval for them as standalone active ingredients — a step that could revolutionize the market with “nature’s original sunscreen.”
To advance commercialization, HelioBioSys is beginning detailed safety and efficacy testing to meet industry standards, regulatory mandates, and consumer preferences. At the same time, the company is partnering with a firm specializing in algal and cyanobacterial cultivation and processing to scale up production and conduct a detailed techno-economic analysis.
Most importantly, HelioBioSys has developed a close partnership with Supergoop!, a leading global sun care brand. This collaboration leverages Supergoop!’s expertise in product formulation, testing, branding, marketing, manufacturing, and distribution — alongside their deep industry relationships — while integrating HelioBioSys’s innovative technology.
The goal of this partnership is to capture a meaningful portion of the sun protection market, which is estimated to grow from $13.11 billion in 2023 to $21.05 billion by 2030. Initially, the company plans to produce 100,000 units with a revenue potential of $2.5 million.
“At Supergoop!, we are focused on developing innovative, feel-good, and high-performance sun care formulas,” explains Ashkay Talati, Chief Innovation Officer. “We believe HelioBioSys’ novel biobased materials, including MAAs, can deliver meaningful benefits that align with our vision of creating multifunctional sun and skin care products designed to provide superior protection while supporting overall skin health.”
This technology was funded through the NSF Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program.
This article was prepared by the U.S. National Science Foundation in partnership with CEP.
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