Beauty is better with biotechnology. Arcaea’s announcement that it acquired Gadusol Laboratories, an Oregon State University spinout, is the latest proof that more companies are betting on biotech to solve a range of nagging issues that have plagued formulators for years. These issues include, but are not limited to, sourcing, sustainability, cost and efficacy. Executives at both companies note that biotechnology can reduce damage to the environment, cut down on water use, save on shipping costs and even improve traceability.
“Our mission at Arcaea is to make biotechnology the most desirable platform in the industry,” explained Arcaea CEO Jasmina Aganovic. As founder of Mother Dirt, Aganovic has long championed biotechnology’s benefits.
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For example, Aganovic recalled how hyaluronic acid was once sourced from rooster combs and streptococci. Harvesting from rooster combs is complex and costly. Streptococci are difficult to genetically manipulate and require complex media for growth. Both sources have potential problems with unwanted by-products, such as allergens and toxins. These problems can be solved by producing the HA with safe bacilli that are expressing a recombinant HA synthase (HAS).
“Scientists started to understand they could manipulate hyaluronic acid and that created a proliferation of HA. We want to do the exact same thing for other materials,” explained Aganovic.
