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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - VOPSA2.0 (Value Omega 3 and Astaxanthin products from SeaAlgae)

Teaser

Summary

Global demand of food supplements and specific bioproducts from natural sources is greatly increasing. Different compounds such as Omega-3 and Astaxanthin have a high market potential because of its healthy properties.
Traditionally, target compounds were obtained from fish/krill oil or were made by chemical synthesis, which is unsustainable. The Project proposes microalgae source to obtain these compounds and use them in cosmetic and nutraceutical products.
The main conclusions are:
- The industrial manufacturing processes for Omega-3 and Astaxanthin have been developed and implemented
- The good results achieved with the efficacy in vitro analysis of the omega-3 and Astaxanthin, resulted in a new cosmetic brand (ALSKIN).
- The challenge tests had determinated harmlessness and security of the oils
- Products developed: astaxanthin and omega 3 oils, H cream (with H. pluvialis extract), capsules of Spirulina and astaxanthin, Bicomega3 and Bicoxanthin.
- The IPR strategy has been implemented with patents and registration of trademarks and food supplements.
- A comprehensive investor-ready business plan has been developed
- The diffusion and communication of the project was successful, achieving public awareness about all related to the project
- BICOSOME and NEOALGAE had reached a commercial pre-agreement about the supply of omega 3 and Astaxanthin oil for the production of of Bicomega3 and Bicoxanthin.
- The project proved that the development of skincare products based on high standards of quality, innovation and sustainability is possible. The products developed fulfill the needs of growing market in different ways. They are ecologic, from natural origin, developed with high technologies from microalgae production and from skin delivery formulation, they are stable, safe and highly effective. We expect these products to become a breakthrough in the history of both companies and promote a long-term and successfully collaborative relationship.

Work performed

WP1. Construction of the industrial plant
Once the new production plant was constructed (1,500m2) for microalgae production, different technical trials were carried out during the start-up of the plant. At the end of the project NEOALGAE had organized an open day with the objective of showing the industrial plant and the project

WP2 Industrial scale-up of the bio-production of Omega-3 and Astaxanthin
Different experimental set-ups were conducted by NEOALGAE for the microalgae species, the scaling-up were performed, with good productivity results. Finally, stress induction allowed to increase the of Omega3 and astaxanthin, that was extracted and purified with CO2 supercritical technology.
In vitro analysis were carried out to test the efficacy of the omega-3 and Astaxanthin oils and to check the safety.

WP3 Design and industrial scale up process for Bicomega3 and Bicoxanthin
BICOSOME used algae extracts rich in Astaxanthin and Omega 3 to develop two prototypes, one per each bioactive, which complied with stability and formulation standards. A production method was developed for these prototypes, the specification parameters were determined and pilot and scale-up productions were carried out.

WP 4 Safety, efficacy and acceptance of compounds
The Bicomega3 and Bicoxanthin were tested in order to assure they were safe, effective and acceptable by the users:
- The safety in vitro tests and in vivo tests proved that are safe for topical use.
- The to efficacy in vitro tests showed anti-inflammatory activity in Bicomega3 and protection pollutant factor for Bicoxanthin
- The anti-ageing test showed that both can prevent ageing.
- Both are technically ready to be commercialized.

WP 5 IPR, commercialisation strategy and business relevance
NEOALGAE has implemented an IPR strategy with patents and registration of trademarks and food supplements, has developed the Strategic Plan 2020, organized meetings with investors and had participated in different investment forums.
BICOSOME has protected the brand BicoalgaeÂ® and the names BICOALGAEÂ® âµ3 and BICOALGAEÂ® XT. They will be commercialized to Cosmetic and Dermopharmaceutical companies in a B2B. Neoalgae will sell to BICOSOME the extracts (a price per kg has been proposed for the extracts and the companies are negotiating a supply agreement).

WP 6 Communication and dissemination
Diffusion and communication was addressed trough several activities and using different tools, being the final goal was to achieve public awareness about all related to the project as well as spreading the SME Instrument funding: Social media, trade fairs, press media, final event (open days)
BICOSOME has set a Communication and dissemination plan for the launching of BicoalgaeÂ®, including the presence in at least 6 international fairs in 2019. Several scientific articles are being prepared to Cosmetic magazines as described

Final results

During VOPSA2.0, innovative processes have been performed:
- a novel enriched-biomass mix (3 different autotrophic species blended before centrifugation process) rich in Omega-3. Secondly
-a novel protocol based on eco-sustainable Supercritical Fluids extraction has been validated and optimized.
-the use of vegetal organisms allows the opportunity to reach alternative customer segments (vegan and vegetarian people)
- Advantages of the omega3 and Astaxanthin oil produced: obtained through environmentally friendly processes; odourless and tasteless; with higher content of omega-3, combining the two desirables types of omega-3 (DHA and EPA); free from heavy metals, PVC and dioxins; it is easy to purify and has a longer shelf life. Its production process gives a valuable sub product that cannot be obtained from the fish process.
- Due to develop of innovate Bicosomes, product stability was improved allowing a better performance in the market.
- New strategies were developed to incorporate the plant extracts in the BicosomeÂ® platform. It is largely accepted that extracts are very complex mixtures that present big limitations to be incorporated in encapsulation and delivery technologies like BicosomeÂ®platform.
-The development carried out allowed BICOSOME to develop know-how on this area, which opens up new possibilities and markets.
IMPACTS
Omega-3 is an essential oil required by the body for proper functioning and Astaxanthin is an antioxidant 300 times more potent than Vitamins E and A.
VOPSA2.0 project had achieved to produce Omega-3 oil enriched with Astaxanthin that potentiates the properties of Omega-3, produced with a new eco-innovative and sustainable industrial bioprocess.
This bioprocess allows the production of natural Omega-3 and Astaxanthin using marine microalgae (NEOALGAE) coupled to a novel biomimetic encapsulation system (BICOSOME). This system has clearly resolved the main problems encountered by the growing and constant increase in natural Omega-3 and Astaxanthin demand, especially in nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications:
- This system will not affect the marine ecosystem (fish and krill population) as they are produced from vegetable sources (microalgae) and helps to bring the Ecological Footprint down to within planetary limits.
- Their activity and efficacy is full promoted by a biomimetic encapsulation.
- Final products are free of pollutants, without fishy aftertaste and odour free and they could be consumed by vegan and vegetarians.
- Production costs has resulted to be stable and without major fluctuations.