Mibelle Biochemistry releases EpiCalsome for restoration of skin’s calcium gradient

27 Apr 2022 --- Mibelle Biochemistry is unveiling EpiCalsome, a supramolecular calcium suitable for aging skin and the “renewal” of skin’s calcium gradient loss. “EpiCalsome is a new calcium delivery system that protects and renews the skin,” Dr. Franziska Wandrey, head of research at Mibelle Biochemistry, tells PersonalCareInsights.

“The patent-pending application for diabetic and mature dry skin fulfills the skincare industry’s particular need to improve the impaired skin barrier of these types of skin without using too greasy and occlusive formulations.”

According to the company, the calcium gradient in the skin is a key driver of barrier disturbance and skin aging. As a result, increasing the skin’s calcium stores could effectively combat aging skin’s barrier dysfunction.

“EpiCalsome represents an innovative double cone vector system that encapsulates calcium for a simple and efficient delivery of bioavailable calcium to the skin,” adds Wandrey. “As it improves skin health by reinforcing the skin barrier, it can be combined with other skin moisture improving ingredients for optimized skin hydration.”

Skin health biomarkers: Calcium gradient and signaling
Skin renews itself through the turnover of keratinocytes in the epidermis, notes Wandrey.

“For this process, the calcium gradient is essential to establish a functional skin barrier despite this constant turnover.”

EpiCalsome is a calcium delivery system that may protect and rejuvenate the skin.

Calcium ions (Ca2+) serve as essential signaling molecules that regulate numerous cellular functions in keratinocytes, including proliferation and differentiation, Wandrey explains.

“As keratinocytes need different calcium concentrations for various functions – low calcium for proliferation, high calcium for differentiation – an epidermal calcium gradient is formed.”

“In the lower levels of the epidermis, the calcium gradient is at its lowest, but it rises, reaching its peak in the stratum granulosum and declining again toward the outermost layers of the stratum corneum the keratinocytes reach their final differentiation status,” adds Wandrey.

She explains that this differentiation of the keratinocytes is mandatory for a well-established skin barrier function.

Besides driving keratinocyte differentiation, the calcium gradient plays a role in keratinocyte migration and wound healing,” adds Wandrey. “Taken together, calcium gradient and signaling are key for a healthy skin barrier and barrier homeostasis.”

Restoring the skin’s barrier function
Dysregulated calcium signaling occurs in aging skin and diabetic skin. The signaling causes the calcium gradient to flatten, Wandrey notes.

“Epidermal calcium gradient loss can originate from fewer calcium-sensing receptors in aged skin. This leads to a significant downregulation of important barrier-forming proteins, including loricrin and filaggrin, thereby reducing barrier function.”

Wandrey says: “In addition, dysregulated calcium signaling can negatively influence epidermal lipid homeostasis, which also contributes to a disrupted skin barrier.”

“Overall, the collapsed calcium gradient and resulting barrier loss are even considered by some to be the most important sign of epidermal skin aging.”

The new technology encapsulates calcium ions in high-quality phospholipids, ensuring that calcium is optimally accessible to the skin.

To support claims of EpiCalsome’s efficiency, Mibelle Biochemistry notes that in vitro studies, EpiCalsome improved epidermis stratification.

“Therefore, it improved the skin barrier in a reconstructed human epidermis model under low calcium conditions while calcium chloride alone did not affect it,” Wandrey details. “Furthermore, in clinical studies, EpiCalsome provided immediate and long-term skin protection against harsh irritants and accelerated skin recovery and regeneration.”

Additionally, EpiCalsome induces faster skin recovery, fortifies delicate skin and prevents skin dryness and irritation.

Anti-aging skincare moves
Creating NPD for aging skin, Mibelle Biochemistry previously unveiled FenuKale Nu, a skincare ingredient that aids the skin from environmental stress. As the ingredient taps into the “beauty from within” trend, it is suitable for applications within beverages and capsules.

Meanwhile, Nuritas raised US$45 million to scale up its AI-powered Peptide Discovery Platform to discover plant-based bioactive peptides for use in the cosmetic space and particularly for “anti-aging” skincare.

By Nicole Kerr