Science

Dermatopoietin®

Dermatopoietin is our trade name for human interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1a). Its INCI name is sh-Polypeptide-17. IL-1a is an epidermal cytokine produced in healthy skin by keratinocytes and in hair follicles by epithelial matrix cells, respectively, on a constitutive basis. It acts as key regulator of skin renewal and hair growth.

Dermatopoietin is the key ingredient of a patented technological platform with wide applications in skin care (cosmetics, dermatology), hair care and oral care. In combination with Hexadeltine and other active ingredients this technology allows the formulation of tailored products to promote skin and hair renewal for use in cosmetics or pharmaceutics.   

Dermatopoietin is a 159 amino acid protein. For application in cosmetic products it is produced by recombinant biotechnology in a prokaryotic expression system. Due to its size Dermatopoietin cannot penetrate skin. Contact with the first layer of living epidermal cells (keratinocytes) in the outer skin however triggers them to produce and release endogenous IL-1a, thus starting a signal cascade which propagates through the entire epidermis and eventually reaches the fibroblasts in the dermis. In the dermis IL-1a stimulates fibroblasts to produce collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid and to release several growth and differentiation factors which act on the epidermis. In a similar way IL-1a stimulates dermal papilla cells in the hair follicles to stop excessive hair shedding and initiate the anagenic growth phase.

We call this mode of action of our products based on Dermatopoietin – triggering a signal cascade that penetrates deep into the skin without itself penetrating it – signalling cosmetics®.  

The efficacy profile of Dermatopoietin as active ingredient in cosmetic preparations has been investigated in living skin by 2-photon fluorescence microscopy, ultrasonography and cutometry. In skin the most prominent effect of Dermatopoietin is a strong stimulation of collagen deposition. This translates into a strong

• anti-aging effect (increase of skin elasticity and skin thickness, reduction of wrinkles), and
• anti-cellulite effect (smoothening of skin).

Applied on scalp Dermatopoietin acts (indirectly) on dermal papilla cells and thereby

• inhibits hair shedding, and
• promotes anagenic hair growth.

Dermatopoietin is always used in combination with Hexadeltine.

Figure: 2-photon fluorescence microscopic picture of the dermis of a 63-year old man. He treated the inside of his forearms twice daily with Dermatopoietin (right) or placebo 2s2s(left). Red: collagen, Green: elastin. Scale bar: 50 μm

Hexadeltine®

Hexadeltine is our trade name for the patented hexapeptide Tyr- D-Ala-Gly-Phe-Leu-Asp. It is a synthetically produced enkephalin analogue which has the INCI name Hexapeptide-18. As water soluble compound Hexadeltine does not penetrate skin but acts on delta opioid receptors situated on epidermal skin cells. 

The pharmacological profile of Hexadeltine supports that of Dermatopoietin: Hexadeltine potentiates the response to low and curtails the response to high concentrations of Dermatopoietin, it increases the microcirculation and it inhibits the proliferation of keratinocytes, thus preventing skin keratosis.

Hexadeltine improves the efficacy and safety profile of Dermatopoietin. United Technologies UT AG owns intellectual property rights on the compound itself, its application alone and in combination with IL-1a in cosmetics and dermatology.

Patents

United Technologies UT AG owns the following patents which protect its rights on the biotechnology platform of interleukin-1 alpha (= Dermatopoietin®) and enkephalin analogues:

Literature

• Interleukin-1 alpha, an epidermal cytokine critical for skin renewal. I. Pomytkin, SOFW J 2009; 135: 2-6
• Synergistic peptide action revitalizes skin and hair. P. Schoch and I. Pomytkin, Personal Care – Asia Pacific 2010, June
• Skin rejuvenating effects of interleukin-1 alpha: A cosmetic study on collagen deposition and elasticity in ageing skin. I. Pomytkin and P. Schoch, Aestetics 2015, 2 (3): 39 – 41