Emerging Trends in Peptide Use: Innovations and Applications

​​​​​​​What are some of the most exciting innovations in peptide technology that you've seen recently?

Very often, the term "peptide" in connection with cosmetic products is only associated with low-molecular compounds. However, this classification is very arbitrary, a peptide is actually characterized by the peptide bond, not by the number of linked amino acids. The synthesis of longer synthetic peptides is challenging and costly due to increased difficulty in controlling the process. But even large proteins such as collagen are ultimately peptides. This is why the field for cosmetically effective peptide-based substances is much larger than has been the case on the market so far. In particular, the use of natural sources in which the peptides are already present offers enormous scope for the development of new peptides.

There are already consumer and ingredient products on the market that emphasize not just a single peptide as the active substance, but a diverse mixture of several hundred different ones. The prerequisite for such a claim is the identification or characterization of the different peptides contained in a plant-based active ingredient.

The next revolution in information technology, artificial intelligence, will also influence the peptide market. The first peptides, whose structure and potential natural source has been identified by artificial intelligence according to certain specifications with regard to their desired effectiveness, are already available. One example is a plant-based ingredient designed to protect skin and scalp against silent inflammation that we have launched about five years ago (1). Using in-silico predictions and a machine learning platform, we evaluated trillions of data entries to identify the plant-based peptides with the highest potential positive impact on silent inflammation. With the help of a controlled enzymatic hydrolysis process, these peptides were then unlocked from organic rice proteins (Oryza sativa).

How are multifunctional peptides changing the landscape of personal care products?

Until now, the comparatively high price of cosmetically effective peptides has often limited their use to facial care products from exclusive luxury brands. However, there are now also more affordable solutions, which may not be listed in the Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients in China (IECIC), but which, for example, enable regionally marketed private labels to use high-quality peptides widely. Proving the multifunctionality of these active ingredients with efficacy data in different cell types and skin layers can make their use more economical. Moreover, this category of ingredients is entering new cosmetic applications such as hair/scalp and body care.

How can peptides differentiate themselves in the competitive, saturated anti-ageing market and what unique benefits do they offer that can appeal to modern skincare consumers?

The potential of peptides in terms of effect and marketing opportunities is far from exhausted. On the one hand, the scientific and technical standards can be further increased by combining them with other technologies. At BASF, for example, biomimetic peptides have been developed by first analyzing the amino acid sequence of a naturally occurring peptide in the body with a specific role in metabolism. The biomimetic peptide is then a copy or the copy of a relevant part of this peptide. In some cases, the effectiveness is boosted by coupling to already known, established active ingredients. By encapsulating them in vector systems such as liposomes, a more targeted transport to the site of action can be achieved.

Until now, peptides have mostly been classified in a very scientific to medical-therapeutic context. Naturalness or sustainability played a secondary role. However, these aspects are becoming increasingly important for purchasing decisions in many cosmetics segments. In the meantime, there are peptide-containing active ingredients that are obtained from upcycled plant-based raw materials in a resource-saving way and even comply with natural cosmetics labels. One such example is a micro-complex rich in peptides that exhibit an amino acid composition similar to that of keratin. The ingredient is the result of upcycling milk thistle (Silybum marianum) seed cake, a by-product of milk thistle oil production. The milk thistle used is grown in France for oil production and is based on a traceable and sustainable supply chain.

Do you foresee peptides expanding beyond ageing care with the skinification trend?

Knowing that peptides play key roles in the metabolism of all living beings, their possible applications in cosmetics extend far beyond the anti-aging segment. 20 years ago, BASF developed a synthetic tetrapeptide that demonstrated a skin soothing effect in a clinical study. In a competition test with Naloxon on stimulated sensory neurons, the peptide has been proven to act by binding to the μ-opioid receptor. Today, there are peptides in our portfolio that have been specially developed to support the care of skin prone to atopy or acne or to inhibit melanin formation. The "skinification" trend has led to peptides now also being used in scalp and even hair care (​​​​​​​2​​​​​​​).

Which trends are leading product development in peptide skincare?

Over the last two decades, synthetic chemistry in particular has been the method of choice for the production of cosmetically active peptides and is still a very suitable process for the production of shorter peptide chains. In the meantime, however, there are biotechnological alternatives in which higher molecular weight peptides can also be obtained naturally. This includes, for example, the extraction and subsequent purification of plant extracts. By using highly specific enzymes in parallel, peptides with a defined sequence can also be cut out of larger proteins and enriched. Another approach is fermentation processes and recombinant proteins. Meanwhile, the evolution of biotechnology is opening the door to an infinite number of possible molecules, including peptides, that were either not accessible before or came at the cost of natural resources such as endangered species or animal-derived raw materials. I am sure that we can expect further exciting innovations in this area in the future.