Safe and natural UV skin protection

Project Information

UVERA

Grant agreement ID: 101009401

DOI

10.3030/101009401

Project closed

EC signature date 22 September 2020

Start date 1 October 2020

End date 30 June 2024

Funded under

• PRIORITY 'Societal challenges

Total cost

€ 3 561 662,50

EU contribution

€ 2 493 163,75

Coordinated by

UVERA SPOLKA AKCYJNA
Poland

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - UVERA (Safe and natural UV skin protection)

Reporting period: 2021-10-01 to 2024-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

UVera: Revolutionizing UV Protection
UVera is a multinational biotech start-up dedicated to providing effective UV protection that is safe for both people and the environment.

The Problem
Recent scientific research has revealed that long-term use of existing UV filters poses significant risks to health and the environment. Conventional synthetic chemical UV filters can enter the bloodstream, accumulate in human tissues, and disrupt hormones. They are also associated with DNA damage and severe allergic reactions. Despite these dangers, consumers are often left without alternatives and are largely unaware of the harmful ingredients in sunscreens.
Furthermore, these traditional sunscreens are highly destructive to marine environments, particularly coral reefs. In response, popular vacation destinations like Hawaii, Palau, and Key West began banning sunscreens containing certain chemical ingredients known to harm marine life, with more bans expected in the future.

Our Solution
UVera offers a groundbreaking solution to the cosmetic industry: a 100% natural, eco-friendly, and safe UV protective substance developed through advanced biotechnological processes. Our innovative compound is characterized by its exceptional stability, broad-spectrum photoprotection in UVA & UVB and superior UV absorbance compared to other natural filters available on the market. Most importantly, our product is safe for human health and the environment, which aligns with the European Green Deal objectives.

Achievements & Recognition
EIT Health Catapult Award 2020 & Alex Casta Audience Award 2020
Social Innovation Tournament 2021 (European Investment Bank).
UVera has been recognized as one of the most promising startups in Poland by Rzeczpospolita (2021) and My Company Polska (2022). Our CEO, Magdalena Jander, was featured on the Forbes Women list in 2021.

Prospects
To date, we've raised over EUR 3.5 million for our R&D developments and pilot biofactory prototyping. We successfully filed international patent. Now we are fundraising to scale up production.

Market Opportunity
The global UV filter market for personal care products is poised for significant growth in both organic and inorganic UV filters. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 5.2% over the next five years, reaching EUR 610 million by 2024.

Why We Are Unique
Our compound stands out due to its exceptional stability, uniquely broad photoprotection covering UVA & UVB and superior absorbance properties compared to other natural filters on the market. Most importantly, it’s safe for both human health and the environment.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Work Performed
• Technology Scaling and Modules Development: We successfully scaled up our technology for producing cyanobacterial biomass in closed systems where cyanobacteria proliferate exponentially, then cells are exposed to UV and PAR radiation stress. We are also actively researching the optimal type of process to maximize efficiency.
• Biofactory Design and Economic Evaluation: We have presented the status of the future Biofactory Design documentation and conducted thorough techno-economic calculations. The assumptions for the Complex Engineering Design (CED) of an industrial-scale production facility (Biofactory) have been defined.

Technological Adjustments
• Biofactory Design Reevaluation: The initial biofactory designs, were based on preliminary data from lab-scale experiments. These experiments suggested a promising yield of scytonemin, a key compound of interest. As the project advanced to the semi-industrial phase, we encountered unexpected challenges. The scytonemin yield was lower than anticipated, which impacted the economic viability of the biofactory design. Multiple rounds of validation trials confirmed that the industrial-scale production would not meet the necessary yield requirements, prompting critical reassessment of the project’s direction.
• Technology Pivot: Recognizing the need for more viable approach, we shifted from the classic production technology (which separated cultivation and stress application) to an innovative, integrated process. This new method aims to optimize scytonemin production by applying stress during cultivation, potentially enhancing yields and improving the efficiency and economic feasibility of the production process.
• Extraction and Fractionation: Scaling up the extraction and fractionation of scytonemin from cyanobacterial cultures proved to be complex. We identified several factors that reduce extraction efficiency and confirmed the stability of pure scytonemin in organic solvents. Future work will focus on refining the purification method at an industrial scale while recovering valuable intermediates (such as carotenoids) and optimizing process costs.

Product and Regulatory Issues
• Product Testing: Our scytonemin-based formula shows high absorbance and low transmittance in the UVB & UVA range, comparable to suncare products with SPF 30 and 50. Further studies are necessary to validate and standardize in vitro protection factor measurement methods.
• Human Testing and Regulatory Compliance
Human testing of cosmetics in Europe is governed by strict regulations designed to protect consumers and uphold ethical standards. This regulatory framework promotes transparency, accountability, and ethical integrity in the cosmetics industry. We’ve planned detailed dermatological and clinical testing protocols for UVera’s purified pigment ensuring compliance with EU regulations.

Commercialization & Management:
• Commercialization: We are making steady progress with potential business partners both in Poland and across Europe while exploring additional market opportunities. The Commercialization Plan, along with our IP strategy, will be continuously updated. This will include analyzing market opportunities, conducting SWOT analyses of competitors, and preparing a detailed schedule of commercialization activities. UVera has successfully signed a licensing agreement for further development of scaling-up.
• Management: The team successfully coordinated a complex, multi-national research initiative. Through regular meetings, detailed progress monitoring and rigorous financial and legal oversight, we maintained a high standard of scientific and administrative excellence throughout the project.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Society awareness and responsibility for the environment is growing, simultaneously with climate crisis spreading wide. Our mission is to provide society with a natural, safe and stable skin UV protector, with no negative environmental impact on the planet. Our solution is taken from nature. Our first line philosophy is to build up the societal consciousness of the problem with existing UV filters, related to both health and environment, what meets the European Green Deal objectives.

Uvera's founders against the background in cyanobacteria tubular bioreactors

PBRs in operation, UVA lamps can be distinguished by the “blueish” colour and the larger diameter

Outside view of the pilot plant

Image of the PBRs in operation inside the IPF-C module