The Germany-based ingredients supplier has taken a stake in InterMed Discovery - a fellow German company that researches and develops active ingredients from natural products.
Database of natural actives
InterMed owns one of the world's largest collections of biologically-active natural substances and extracts and the move will help Cognis add to its selection of natural ingredients.
Furthemore, InterMed's bioprofiling technology allows it to correlate chemical structures with biological activity on a large scale therefore identifying novel active ingredients with defined applications.
"The combination of InterMed Discovery's natural product data and active ingredients with Cognis know-how and market expertise in nutrition and cosmetics creates a unique platform for the development of new, innovative products and thus strengthens our market position sustainably," said Norbert Weitkemper of Cognis.
Cosmetics is an area of growth
The database consists of single compounds, extracts and blends of which 40 per cent are novel, according to Erik Metz, InterMed's head of business development.
"Cosmetics and cosmeceuticals is our biggest area of growth," Metz said of the compounds database, although the company has an international presence in the pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and nutraceuticals industries.
For InterMed the co-operation with Cognis will help place the company as a leader in the discovery and development of active ingredients based on natural products, said company managers Bernard Becker and Dr Thomas Henkel.
For Cognis the move makes perfect sense, complementing the company's focus on all things green.
"Our core competency is green chemicals and green solutions. It is very interesting for us to find a partner who is capable of looking for possible new ingredients,"
Susanne Sengel from Cognis told CosmeticsDesign.com.
Sengel added that cosmetics and personal care was one of the company's focus areas.
Regarding a time frame for any new actives that result from the collaboration Sengel confirmed that the search for new ingredients is a long process.
"When we have identified a substance that could be interesting we then subject it to many tests, investigating its functions, its effects and what claims could be made for it," she said.
