International Specialty Products (ISP) has acquired French cosmetic ingredient developer Vincience, formerly known as Societe D’Extraction Des Principes Actifs SA. Vincience researches proprietary materials for the prestige skin care market and its customized focus. Vincience's cosmetic ingredients include peptides, botanical ingredients and biotechnologies, and its Skin Research Centre houses more than 25 research scientists dedicated to skin biology and clinical evaluation.
The acquisition reportedly will enable the companies to leverage their strengths to provide solutions in the personal care arena. With a newly expanded global reach and advanced capabilities in such categories as peptides, botanicals, biotechnologies, marine molecules and synthesis, Claude Dal Parra, technical director of ISP/Vincience, anticipates the collaboration will drive new molecule development and leverage the capabilities of their research phase development, in-house clinical evaluation capabilities, and ability to translate dermatological data for use in the cosmetics field. In the area of antiaging in particular, Vincience is utilizing peptides in their topical actives formulations, and plans to leverage their expertise “to bring the molecules to the skin that it needs to give it more energy,” said Dal Parra, thus helping the skin to help itself. Among the ingredients highlighted by Dal Parra were Achromaxyl, a plant extract from brassica (part of the mustard family), which is being used as a melanin inhibitor and ultimately is a possible replacement for hydroquinone.
Del Parra noted that it was shown to have achieved better results than kojic acid. He said that the company’s work with achromaxyl had enabled the skin to tan without UV. He also discussed the company's latest peptide that was shown to have worked better than vitamin C in helping to maintain the surface of the skin. In addition, ISP announced the acquisition of the oilfield chemicals business, Techwax Ltd. in the UK. Established in 1991, Techwax is a manufacturer of a broad line of chemicals utilized in the oilfield services sector for drilling mud, oil production and oil well stimulation applications. ISP also noted the signing of an agreement with geniaLab Bio Technologie-Produkte und Dienstleistungen GmbH, of Germany. The agreement establishes a strategic alliance between the two companies, and specifically involves the development and marketing of encapsulated products for the fabric care, personal care and home care markets. Further, ISP has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of the biocide business of Milker & Gruning GmbH.
The transaction, expected to close in the second quarter, will bring the manufacturer of versatile preservatives for paint, costing, cosmetic and industrial applications under the ISP umbrella. Finally, ISP announced that, through one of its subsidiaries, it had acquired the business of French biocides manufacturer Progiven S.A.S
