Enterprises Densely Involved in a“Competition about New Materials for Cosmetics”

Xu Wenjun

Jinhua Jumei Network Technology Co.,Ltd.,China

For upstream material enterprises exploringindependent innovation,an environment interlaced with halo and darkness has been formed in the domestic cosmetics industrial chain.On the one hand,the development of domestic cosmetics started late.Even if they have gradually gone out of the stage of savage growth,the market discourse power about upstream materials is still controlled by international companies.Restricted by labels such as cheaper substitute and lack of innovation,local material enterprises are always unable to try something new.On the other hand,the material submission code formally enforced from Jan.1st,2023,as a pioneerin China,has made “traceability by one code” for materials possible;moreover,when materials such as recombinant collagen protein,which symbolize China’s original technological power,are displaying a rapid growth,the study of local new material filingis being quickened with each passing day.

According to statistics,for the first half of 2023,a total of 24 new materials have been registered in the official website of National Medical Products Administration.The upstream material terminal has begun to treat material development from the perspective of “originality” based on local demandsinstead of following and imitating others blindly.Itis undoubtedly a good signal.I have summarized the characteristics of new material filing for the first half of 2023.On the precondition that new materials are being released,local enterprises and international enterprises are densely involved in a competition about new materials.What fierce competitions will be aroused among them?

1 Local enterprises will usher in an outbreak period for material filing

When mentioning changes in new material filing for 2023,an industrial professional say,“More and more domestic enterprises want to have new materials filed,and an outbreak period is predicted to occur in the near future.” Data show that from 2012 to the end of 2020,only eight new materials were put on file in China.Ever since the gate for filing was opened,the number of new materials has been nearly three times that for the past eight years.According to statistics on filing years,6 new materials were put on file in 2021,42 new materials in 2022,and 24 new materials in the first half of 2023.In the competition about new materials,the first new material after relevant regulations concerning registration and filing of new materials for cosmetics were enforced was brought by a local enterprise.In June 2021,the filing of N-Acetylneuraminic acid (also called “sialic acid”),as No.“001” new material,was completed by Wuhan CASOV Green Biotechnology Co.,Ltd.Since then,local material enterprises have shouted the slogan of “independent innovation”,and taken a posture of catching up from behind in terms of new material filing.

Following sialic acid,by Jun.30th,2023,a total of 72 new materials for cosmetics had been put on file.Of them,there are 47 domestic new materials,accounting for more than 60%.As compared with the past two years,2023 is undoubtedly a year,in which the filing of domestic new materials is the most concentrated.According to the official website of National Medical Products Administration,all the 42 new materials registered in 2022 are used for fundamental functions,most new material filing enterprises are foreign-funded enterprises,and the proportion of domestic materials accounts for less than one half;by contrast,of the 24 new materials registered in 2023,there are 16 domestic materials,accounting for more than 60%.

A principal of Winkey ascribed the increasein new material filing of local enterprises in 2023 to the previous stage of exploration.There is a lot of preparatory work to do in the earlier stage of new material filing,and the cycle for material developmentis very long.This requires that enterprises should have a certain reserves in the research terminal.In the present stage,domestic enterprises have summarized the previous experience,and considered how to prepare for new material filing by relying on R&D resources and platforms.It can largely avoid taking wrong paths.

Though the number of new materials registeredis taking on a tendency of steady increase,there are more new materials ordered to be corrected or cancel the filing as the total number of enterprises applying for filing is increasing.It is reported that the passing rate for new material filing in 2021 was only 22%;now there are still many enterprises facing the problem that material filing will be rejected.For example,an industrial professional revealed in the Little Red Book that main reasons for new material filing being ordered to be corrected can be summarized as follows: Lack of relevant certificates for the quality and specifications of materials,inconsistency of the writing format of the names of imported formulas and materials with thatin Catalogue of Already-used Cosmetics,lack of contents such as quality control measure inspection methods,relevant indexes about materials,and production and technological process control,lack of detailed management measures about overallinspection,etc.

The principal of Winkey said,“New material filing takes safety as a basic principle.Only those meeting the requirements in terms of safety can be approved.” Most domestic upstream material enterprises having gone through the filing are always holding an attitude of “being an expert in the industry”.In the first half of 2023,a total of 15 domestic companies completed the filing of new materials.Almost all of them are upstream material enterprises or OEM enterprises,concentrating on the area of active substance or a kind of basic material for a long time.For example,Baiyuete Biotechnology(Shanghai) Co.,Ltd in Tab.1 is mainly engaging in the development and processing of functional foods and skincare products.The company had callus extract of MESEMBRYANTHEMUM CRYSTALLINUM filed as a new material in May.According to the patent the company applied for in 2017,callus extract of MESEMBRYANTHEMUM CRYSTALLINUM can effectively resist photo-aging,resist oxidation,repair DNA,slow down the decomposition of collagen protein,slow down the loss of collagen protein and reduce skin texture.

The domestic material company Winkey Technology devoted to R&D of active substance had four new materials filed successfully in the first half of 2023: acetyl hexapeptide -95 amide,caffeoyl hexapeptide -9,conopeptide,and tripeptide-105.According to the introduction,except for conopeptide,all the other three new materials are composed of peptide molecules of a completely new structure.In addition,Wenzhou Gumorl Vital Biotechnology Co.,Ltd concentrating on plant materials and pure makeups,Guangzhou Bafeorii Chemical Co.,Ltd specialized in surfactant,and the capacity enterprise Shenzhen Readline Biotechnology Co.,Ltd devoted to synthetic biology all launched new products in their respective research orientations and had them filed.

Viewed from the brand terminal,developing new materials can be a bonus item,but it is not a main orientation for exerting strength.In the first half of 2023,only one domestic brand completed new material filing: the waterless skincare brand YOSEIDO,whose featured product is “birch juice”.Its parent company had inonotus obliquus/filtrate of white birch juice fermentation product filed successfully.It is a product fermented from birch juice as the only or main substrate withinonotus obliquus as a bacterial strain,and contains moisturizing,anti-inflammation and anti-wrinkle active ingredients.

Apart from main participants from the cosmeticsindustry,cross-border players from medicine and food health areas are also deeply involved in the filing of new materials for cosmetics.For example,the domestic famous health product enterprise Dong-E-E-Jiao Co.,Ltd had donkey oil,an animal material mainly used as humectant filed;Effepharm (Shanghai)Co.,Ltd devoted to R&D of materials for dietary supplement had β-nicotinamide mononucleotide(NMN),an anti-aging material filed successfully;the ILEX LATIFOLIA extract put on file by Guangzhou Hanfang Medical Biotechnology Co.,Ltd is a plant material with anti-oxidation and soothing efficacy.

A senior industrial professional said,“A task of top priority for the material terminal is to quicken the research about the mechanism of new materials acting on the skin,and find the potential of materialsin cosmetics efficacy.Take NMN as an example.What function will a cosmetic containing NMN play when applied to the skin? In the intestine,NMN is transported by a transport protein called Slc12a8 to cells.Does the skin also have such transport protein so that NMN can have energy metabolism,anti-aging and anti-inflammation efficacy in cells?These mechanisms have not been studied clearly.In addition,some companies claim that NMN has acne-removing efficacy,but its application effect in products is not evident.A definite orientation for efficacy of new materials is also required.”

2 New materials launched by eight international companies such as Shiseido and Amore

Viewed from the quantity in the first half of 2023,only eight international companies had new materials filed so far,including leading cosmetics groups such as Shiseido and Amore Pacific as well as famous international material suppliers such as Symrise,Dow and IFF.

In the area of active substance,No.“007”new material Asivatrep filed by Amore Pacific[English name: Asivatrep (PAC-14028)] is a kind of TRPV1 antagonist.It is reported that in 2021,Amore Pacific published Phase III clinical trial result about Asivatrep in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology,a top journal in immunology.It proves that 1% of Asivatrep can treat mild/moderate atopic dermatitis,and improve the patient’s sleep quality.At present,this ingredient has been applied to Aestura,a brand subordinate to Amore Pacific.It is being sold as South Korean medical equipment “surgical dressing”.

International Flavors &Fragrances Group Co.,Ltd (IFF) have two polysaccharides filed,which are α-glucan polysaccharide and hydrolyzed α-glucan polysaccharide,and can be used as skin soothing agents.It is known that glucan polysaccharide is a common moisturizing and soothing ingredient in cosmetics.According to the information released by INCI(International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients),hydrolyzed α-glucan polysaccharide is a hydrolysate of α-glucan polysaccharide.It is a carbohydrate in terms of chemical classification,mainly used as adsorbent,adhesive,emulsion stabilizer,exfoliating agent,filmforming agent and sunscreen.

Another active ingredient is “hydroxy methoxypheny decanone” (trade name: SymDecanox HA™,Chinese trade name: cardamon seed ketone)registered by Symrise.Its core ingredient is natural ketone molecule discovered from cardamons.SymDecanox HA™ can effectively resist cell oxidative damage,prevent formula,oil and unstableingredients from oxidative degradation,and at the same time,can soothe the skin and promote the generation of skin hyaluronic acid.

At present,The Ordinary,a foreign skincare brand known as “material barrel” has applied thisingredient to its new product 2% barbados aloe+2%NAG essence,whose main functions are to soothe and tighten the skin and even the skin color.

In addition,new materials registered by half of international companies in 2023 are sensory regulators and basic materials,including hexyl/succinyl polydimethyl siloxane cross-linked polymer,hydrogenated farnesene and ethyl polymethyl siloxane,which are three inactiveingredients launched by Dow,Aipulihua and Si’erde respectively as new chemical materials.For another example,“carboxyl decyl trisiloxane” launched by Shiseido is mainly used as skin regulator and emulsifier.It is known that when added to cosmetics,these siloxane compounds can make the skin lithe and smooth.

3 In terms of efficacy and technological characteristics,what tendencies does new material filing have?

New materials registered now can mainly be divided into two categories: One is fundamental functional material,which may have not much efficacy,but is an important part in the cosmetics formula.The other is material with efficacy claim and efficacy support.As compared with fundamental material,active substance with specific efficacy seems to be regarded as the core of a product by default,and remains popular all the time.Therefore,some differentiated active efficacy ingredients have become a main reason for the industry to focus on new materials.

3.1 Soothing and anti-aging are two key words of efficacy

Of the new materials successfully registered in the first half of 2023,soothing ingredients and anti-aging ingredients are two subjects of new materials,accounting for 81%.After a query of the patentinformation,it can be found that several materials are multifunctional,with both soothing and anti-aging efficacy.For example,“2 -[[3 -(4 -hydroxyphenyl) -1-oxopropyl] amino] benzoic acid” registered by Fuzhou Bi’angti Biotechnology Co.,Ltd is a chemical material.According to the patent for invention The Usage of 2 -[[3-(4 -Hydroxyphenyl) -1 -Oxopropyl] Amino] Benzoic Acid in Cosmetics applied for by the company,2 -[[3-(4 -hydroxyphenyl) -1 -oxopropyl] amino] benzoic acid serves as a skin soothing agent in cosmetics.With functions such as inhibiting mast cell degranulation,inhibiting cell TRPV1 expression,inhibiting interleukin IL-6 release,inhibiting cell PGE2 factor release and detoxifying cells,this ingredient,when applied in cosmetics,has anti-inflammation,anti-allergy and soothing functions.It can also be applied to babies’ or children’s cosmetics,reducing the product irritation.

Another is “tripeptide-105”,the latest material registered by Winkey Technology.According to theintroduction,it is a small peptide,with tightening and anti-aging efficacy.Winkey Technology has realized scale production of this material through chemical synthesis.In addition,tocopherol retinoate launched by Shanghai Coachchem Technology Co.,Ltd has combined the structures of tocopherol (Vitamin E),which has moisturizing and soothing functions,and retinoate,which has anti-aging function.On the basis of lowering irritation,it has gained a remarkable anti-aging function.Therefore,it has attracted the attention from industrial professionals.

In the opinion of industrial professionals,materials such as acetyl carnosine and tocopherol retinoate contain ingredients with high market popularity in their own structures.It is valuable to make performance optimization and modification on this basis,and improve the potential of the material.At the same time,ingredients with a background of patent for invention and relatively complete scientific evidence in terms of efficacy research will make the credibility relatively higher.Therefore,it will also become a key area for new material filing.

3.2 Chemical materials still have a high proportion,accounting for about 70%

On the other hand,in terms of technological origin of materials,most materials put on file in the first half of 2023 have a chemical origin.Of the remaining materials,there are three plant materials,two biotechnological materials and one animal material.As the technical requirement has not been made public yet,the new material “hydrolyzed α-glucan polysaccharide” may be a plant or biological material.However,at present,the cosmetics industry still think highly of biotechnological materials unanimously.New material production technologies represented by synthetic biotechnology and plant cell culture technology are influencing upstream material enterprises to change the traditional way of material production.The method of combining fermentation technology with plant materials can provide more guarantee for the efficacy of active substance.

From new material filing,we cannot directly see the definite preference of the market.However,in the future,as new materials go through market testing layer upon layer,material filing will surely take on a more standard and scientific tendency.To develop a new material needs a very high investment.In particular,to obtain the toxicological data of filed materials needs a very high cost.Therefore,manufacturers prefer to develop products with high added values,that is,materials with featured functions in a certain efficacy track.For example,anti-aging can be subdivided into anti-oxidation,anti-glycosylation,anti-photoaging,etc.These efficacy materials with high added values and technical features have a higher application potential,and at the same time,are more acceptable to brands.

Another industrial professional thinks that viewed from China’s regulations concerning new material monitoring and the present situation of domestic filing of new materials,new materials to be registered in the future may concentrate more on those already having aninternational catalogue but having not been incorporatedinto the domestic directory yet.At the same time,he thinks that at present,apart from great differences between domestic and international material quantity,the foreign material catalogue and the Catalogue of Alreadyused Cosmetics of China have different connotations in essence: “One is to report by the enterprise itself,and the other is to define monitoring by regulations.”

Generally speaking,enterprises densely beinginvolved in a competition about new materials is a good thing for the industry.An industrial professional says,“There are interdependent relations between brands and material suppliers.Three years of new material monitoring will provide comprehensive guarantee for the efficacy,safety,stability and production quality of materials,and at the same time,give the brands an opportunity to find suitable featured materials,thus creating competition barriers for the products.For material companies,receiving attention from brands in an earlier stage will facilitate the normalization of their development and production of new materials.”

In the past several years,the upstream and downstream of the cosmetics industry have gone through a “severe winter”,and the economy declines as a whole with no survivors.However,domestic enterprises are not overwhelmed for that.The increase of new material filing is not only aninevitable result of the market environment moving towards brightness but also an important premise for brands to create a featured product power.It is believed that in 2023 in which “economy is to be recovered”,the enthusiasm of material innovation can be passed on continuously.