Unmet Need
- Sunscreens rely heavily on chemical UV absorbers (e.g., homosalate) to achieve effective UV protection
- Topical sunscreens containing chemical UV filters are associated with skin penetration and systemic absorption
- Safety and endocrine-disruption concerns are driving regulatory and consumer pressure on sunscreen formulations
- EU Cosmetics Regulation (effective 2025) will restrict homosalate use in sunscreens to ≤7.34% and facial products only
- Sunscreen manufacturers need next-generation sunscreen ingredients that:
- Maintain high SPF
- Prevent penetration of UV filters into deeper skin layers
- Enable regulation-compliant sunscreen products
Our Innovation
- Non-penetrating transparent microcapsules developed specifically as a novel sunscreen ingredient
- Encapsulation of homosalate and additional sunscreen UV filters within cosmetic-approved polymeric microcapsules
- Sunscreen UV filters remain confined to the upper epidermis, even after rubbing
- Preserve sunscreen UV absorption and SPF performance while minimizing skin penetration
- Designed for incorporation into standard sunscreen formulations (cream, lotion, spray)
Advantages
- Up to 3.6-fold reduction in homosalate, avobenzone and oxybenzone concentration in sunscreen formulations
- Prevention of dermal and systemic absorption of sunscreen UV filters
- Supports compliance with EU sunscreen regulations (2025)
- UV-transparent microcapsules with no impact on sunscreen aesthetics
- High encapsulation efficiency (~99%)
- Adaptable sunscreen platform compatible with multiple chemical UV filters
- Drop-in sunscreen ingredient for existing manufacturing processes
Commercial Opportunity
We are seeking collaboration with sunscreen and sun-care companies developing daily and recreational sunscreen products, or facial and body sunscreens under new regulatory constraints to advance the development of our technology.
Contact in Yissum: Ariela Markel
