Technology Platforms Driving Ingredient Innovation
Plamed | Combining advanced formulation science, molecular engineering, and biotechnology to develop high-performance functional ingredient solutions.
Molecular Cocrystallization Technology
Molecular cocrystals are supramolecular complexes composed of two or more distinct molecules that coexist within a single homogeneous crystalline phase at a well-defined stoichiometric ratio. These molecules are held together by non-covalent interactions, including hydrogen bonding, halogen bonding, and π–π stacking. Unlike salts or solvates, all components within a cocrystal remain in their neutral molecular forms without proton transfer, thereby preserving the intrinsic chemical properties of each individual component.
The formation of molecular cocrystals relies on specific complementary intermolecular interactions between the constituent molecules, which are typically predicted and designed based on the concept of supramolecular synthons in crystal engineering. A molecular cocrystal is therefore defined as a multicomponent crystalline material in which the constituent molecules are integrated into the crystal lattice through non-covalent interactions rather than ionic bonding.
Significantly Enhances Solubility and Dissolution Rate
Coformers interact with active molecules, such as botanical phytochemicals and other bioactive ingredients, through non-covalent interactions including hydrogen bonding. These interactions modify the molecular packing within the crystal lattice and reduce lattice energy, making the active ingredients more readily solvated by water molecules. As a result, both aqueous solubility and dissolution rate are significantly improved.
Improves Physical and Chemical Stability
Molecular cocrystallization effectively restricts the molecular mobility of active ingredients through strong intermolecular interactions, such as hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking. This enhances solid-state stability by reducing hygroscopicity, suppressing phase transitions, and preventing amorphization or other degradation processes during storage.
Avoids Chemical Modification and Supports Patentability
Molecular cocrystallization does not involve the formation or cleavage of covalent bonds within the active molecules. As a result, it preserves the molecular structure of the active ingredients and avoids the potential toxic metabolites or immunogenicity that may arise from chemical derivatization, thereby maintaining their established safety profile.
In addition, newly developed cocrystals are recognized as distinct crystalline forms that may qualify for independent patent protection. This offers pharmaceutical and botanical ingredient developers an effective strategy for product differentiation and intellectual property lifecycle management.
Main Applications
Enhancing the Oral Bioavailability of Poorly Water-Soluble Active Ingredients
Improving the Processing Performance of Active Ingredients
Developing Drug–Drug or Phytochemical–Phytochemical Cocrystal Systems
Emerging Applications in Anticancer and Antimicrobial Formulations
Supramolecular Encapsulation Technology
Supramolecular encapsulation technology utilizes the cavity of cyclodextrins to form non-covalent host–guest inclusion complexes with substrate molecules (guests), thereby significantly modifying their physicochemical properties without altering the chemical structures of the guest molecules.
Cyclodextrins are cyclic oligosaccharides composed of D-glucopyranose units linked by α-1,4-glycosidic bonds. They possess a unique truncated cone-shaped structure characterized by a hydrophilic exterior and a hydrophobic interior. The hydrophobic cavity serves as the key structural feature responsible for supramolecular encapsulation. Through non-covalent interactions such as van der Waals forces, hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic interactions, cyclodextrins can selectively accommodate guest molecules with compatible molecular size and polarity, forming stable host–guest inclusion complexes.
This molecular inclusion mechanism forms the fundamental basis for the broad application of cyclodextrin-based supramolecular encapsulation technology.
Enhances Solubility and Bioavailability
Cyclodextrins can encapsulate poorly water-soluble molecules, converting them from crystalline or amorphous forms into a molecularly dispersed state. This significantly increases their apparent aqueous solubility, resulting in enhanced dissolution and improved bioavailability.
Improves the Chemical Stability of Active Ingredients
The cyclodextrin cavity provides a protective microenvironment for sensitive guest molecules, shielding them from degradation caused by light, oxidation, hydrolysis, and elevated temperatures. As a result, the chemical stability and storage stability of active ingredients are significantly enhanced.
Enables Intelligent Controlled-Release Performance
The release behavior of supramolecular inclusion complexes can be regulated by environmental stimuli, including pH, temperature, enzymes, and ionic strength. This enables targeted, sustained, or pulsatile release profiles to meet the requirements of different applications.
Reduces Irritation and Improves Sensory Properties
By encapsulating active molecules within its hydrophobic cavity, cyclodextrin can effectively mask bitterness, undesirable odors, and irritation associated with certain active compounds. Consequently, the overall sensory properties and consumer acceptance of the final products are significantly improved.
Main Applications
Drug and Bioactive Delivery Systems
Encapsulation of Food and Functional Ingredients
Cosmetics and Personal Care Products
Environmental Remediation and Industrial Separation
Left: Aqueous solution of the product prepared using supramolecular encapsulation technology.
Right: Aqueous solution of the same product prepared without supramolecular encapsulation technology.
Liposome Technology
Liposomes are nanoscale vesicles composed of phospholipid bilayers. Phospholipid molecules are amphiphilic, with hydrophilic head groups oriented toward the aqueous phase and hydrophobic tails assembled into a lipid bilayer, thereby spontaneously forming vesicles with an aqueous core.
This unique structure enables liposomes to simultaneously encapsulate hydrophilic compounds within the aqueous core and lipophilic compounds within the phospholipid bilayer, making them an efficient delivery system for a wide range of active ingredients.
Because the structure of liposomes closely resembles that of biological cell membranes, they exhibit excellent biocompatibility and low immunogenicity. In addition to serving as effective delivery vehicles, liposomes are widely used as model systems for studying membrane biology, protein–lipid interactions, and drug delivery mechanisms.
Excellent Biocompatibility and Low Immunogenicity
The phospholipid composition of liposomes closely resembles that of biological cell membranes, providing excellent biocompatibility and minimizing the likelihood of undesirable immune responses. This makes liposomes suitable for repeated administration and long-term applications.
Enhances the Stability and Bioavailability of Active Ingredients
Liposomes effectively encapsulate poorly water-soluble or chemically unstable bioactive compounds, including botanical extracts and phytochemicals, protecting them from hydrolysis, oxidation, and premature degradation under physiological conditions. This significantly prolongs the stability of active ingredients and improves the bioavailability of oral and topical formulations.
Enables Targeted Delivery and Stimuli-Responsive Release
Liposomes can be engineered for active targeting through surface modification with specific ligands. In addition, stimuli-responsive liposomes can release encapsulated ingredients in response to environmental triggers, such as pH, temperature, or enzymes, enabling more precise and controlled delivery.
Reduces Toxicity and Improves the Therapeutic Index
Liposome-based delivery systems can selectively localize active compounds at target sites while reducing exposure to healthy tissues. This significantly decreases systemic toxicity and enhances the therapeutic index of encapsulated ingredients.
Main Applications
Anticancer Drug Delivery Systems
Delivery Platform for Nucleic Acid Therapeutics
Transdermal Delivery Systems and Cosmetic Applications
Vaccine Adjuvants and Antigen Delivery Systems
Synthetic Biology Platform
Synthetic biology is an advanced bio-manufacturing technology that integrates gene editing, enzyme engineering, and precision fermentation. By rationally designing and engineering microbial metabolic pathways, it creates highly efficient “cell factories” capable of the precise biosynthesis of functional cosmetic ingredients.
This technology overcomes key limitations associated with conventional extraction and chemical synthesis. It addresses challenges such as low purity and inconsistent bio-activity in botanical and animal-derived extracts, as well as excessive byproducts and environmental burdens associated with chemical manufacturing. Through high-fidelity biosynthesis, synthetic biology can reproduce naturally occurring bio-active molecules while enabling targeted molecular optimization, delivering ingredients with enhanced activity, superior purity, and sustainable production advantages.
By integrating synthetic biology with skin science research, Plamed explores the development and application of bio-active peptides, recombinant proteins, and novel functional molecules. This approach continuously advances cosmetic ingredient solutions with enhanced quality, stability, and innovation.
Precision Biosynthesis for Superior Activity and Purity
Through the precise regulation of biosynthetic pathways and molecular structures, this platform eliminates impurity interference commonly associated with natural extraction processes. As a result, ingredient purity and structural consistency are significantly improved, ensuring reliable and high-performance efficacy.
Green Manufacturing for Sustainable Production
Utilizing microbial fermentation as the core production method, this platform replaces resource-intensive extraction processes and high-pollution chemical synthesis routes. It significantly reduces environmental impact and resource consumption, aligning with the growing demand for clean beauty and sustainable development.
Scalable Production Independent of Resource Constraints
By overcoming the seasonal and resource limitations of rare natural materials, synthetic biology enables the large-scale production of scarce bioactive compounds through efficient cell factories. This ensures batch-to-batch consistency, reliable quality, and a stable, controllable supply chain.
Molecular Optimization for Next-Generation Performance
The platform enables structural modification and functional enhancement of active molecules. Examples include improving peptide bioavailability and skin delivery efficiency, as well as enhancing the stability of antioxidant compounds. These innovations create next-generation ingredients that are difficult to achieve through conventional technologies.
Low-Irritation with an Excellent Safety Profile
Biosynthetic production pathways generate fewer unwanted byproducts and significantly reduce residual chemical solvents and heavy metals. This results in low sensitization potential and excellent safety characteristics, making these ingredients highly suitable for sensitive skin formulations and low-irritation skincare applications.