Aqua Bio Technology (ABT) is aiming to launch its patented enzyme Zonase, a hatching enzyme found in fish such as salmon, on the global cosmetics ingredients market.
According to ABT, Zonase has a number of remarkable properties that make it perfect for use in skin care products, such as anti-ageing and skin repair formulations.
"Zonase is an all natural and non-toxic enzyme which is perfectly suited and highly effective for skin care applications….At
ABT we call this process 'skin care designed by nature,'" said Mr Einar Vangsnes, CEO of ABT.
The ingredient already appears in a select range of products in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and South Africa; however the company is now looking to launch the ingredient on a wider, international market.
The company note the increasing interest in marine-based and natural ingredients, aiming to make the most of the trend in its attempt to access the worldwide ingredients markets.
"Our next step is to identify global partners for our go-to-market strategy," explained Vangsnes.
Furthermore, ABT has created a unique delivery system, Smids, a blend of carrageenan from red algae and marine collagen, which further enhances the enzymes effect.
Zonase was first detected in 1984 by researchers from the University of Bergen interested in the hatching mechanisms of fish.
The enzyme is one of a group known as hatching enzymes; their biological function is to degrade the eggshell without harming the fish larvae inside.
The possibilities of Zonase as an ingredient in skin care products were discovered unintentionally, when researchers working extensively with the protein found their hands became softer and smoother.
Further scientific research revealed that Zonase acts on human keratin - exposed only in dead and damaged skin cells - in very similar ways to the fish eggshell protein, working to slough away the dead cells and rejuvenate the skin.
Crucially, unlike other protein degrading enzymes the enzyme does not harm living cells, which allows for its use as an ingredient in skin care products.
In addition, the enzyme is remarkably stable, remaining biologically active even when in a cream or lotion, making it possible to use as an ingredient in skin care products.
The product will add to a growing number of marine-based ingredients on the market, which are becoming ever more popular as the search for natural derived active ingredients intensifies.