Deinove launches active cosmetic ingredient phytoene

French biotech company Deinove has launched a new chemical formulation comprising phytoene.

Intended for use as a cosmetic active ingredient, Phytoene is a colourless carotenoid that is produced through the fermentation of natural sugars by Deinococcus geothermalis, an extremophile bacterium.

The fermentation process has been designed by Deinove’s scientific platform.

Known as Phyt-N-Resist, the formulation created by the company comprises phytoene concentrated in refined jojoba oil, which is claimed to help fight against skin-ageing by reducing oxidative stress and accelerating repair.

The company has conducted in-vitro, ex-vivo and clinical studies to demonstrate Phyt-N-Resist’s efficacy and tolerability.

The testing focused on the carotenoid’s ability to reduce the number of lipoperoxidation products, caused by exposure of cells to ultra-violet (UV) radiations.

Deinove CEO Emmanuel Petiot said: “We are thrilled to introduce Phyt-N-Resist, our first innovative carotenoid for cosmetic use.

“Our teams have done excellent work to complete this project and deliver on time our first commercial solution.

“The preliminary contacts with cosmetic players have been very positive and we look forward to presenting it to the whole industry in Amsterdam next week.”

The company believes that phytoene’s stability at high temperatures allows it to be considered for make-up applications.

Deinove marketing director Coralie Martin said: “Inspired by life genius and convinced by the potential of symbiosis, we have developed an exclusive platform that relies on extremophile bacteria with extraordinary resilience, to achieve the biosynthesis of precious actives.”

Following the clinical study, the company has concluded that Phyt-N-Resist has anti-wrinkles action and can be used as an anti-ageing active ingredient for the beauty industry.