With the efficacy of skincare becoming an important trend in the cosmetics industry, an increasing number of active raw materials are rising to prominence. Among them, peptide-based cosmetic raw materials are experiencing rapid development and have promising prospects for future growth. According to Frost Sullivan, the scale of peptide-based cosmetic raw materials in China is expected to reach 3.24 billion yuan by 2030, with a growth rate of 9.3%.
However, sustainable and innovative development of peptides in the skincare field still requires collaborative efforts across various domains of industry, academia, and research. On July 5th, The 1st Active Peptide Innovation Science Conference, hosted by Winkey and attended by several renowned experts from both domestic and international backgrounds, successfully concluded in Shanghai. During the conference, participants engaged in in-depth exchanges and discussions on the latest research achievements, technological innovations, and future development trends of active peptides in skincare.
With a market potential of billions, the peptide-based cosmetics market holds unlimited opportunities.
Peptides, which have been in the spotlight of skincare raw materials in recent years, actually have a development history of over a hundred years.
From 1922, when insulin extracted from animal pancreas was first used for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, to 1954, when American biochemist Dr. Vincent du Vigneaud achieved the first chemical synthesis of peptide drugs, and to the late 1980s when the first copper peptide with wound-healing therapeutic activity was incorporated into skincare products, the importance of peptides in the cosmetics raw materials market has become increasingly prominent.
At the beginning of the conference, Dr. Ding Wenfeng, the founder of Winkey, pointed out, “Peptides have been one of the focal points of scientific research since their discovery in the early 20th century. They have been widely used in biomedicine, health, beauty, skincare, and other fields. In particular, the recent development in the beauty and skincare industry has presented broad market prospects, which has greatly inspired us, who have been continuously focusing on peptide innovation.”
Director Liu Keliang of the Peptide Branch of the China Biochemical Pharmaceutical Industry Association and Chairman Yan Jiangying of the China Association of Fragrance Flavour and Cosmetic Industries expressed similar views in their speeches at the conference, recognizing and supporting Winkey for organizing this event to promote innovation in the peptide industry.
CHAILEEDO found that peptides can be divided into different categories based on their applications, such as active pharmaceutical peptides, cosmetic peptides, and food sensory peptides. Among them, cosmetics are becoming an important field for the application of active peptide raw materials. According to Euromonitor data, the global market size of peptide-containing cosmetics is projected to reach 9.108 billion US dollars by 2023, with the Asian market accounting for the largest demand at 43.9%. It is expected that the global market size of peptide-containing cosmetics will reach 23.561 billion US dollars by 2031.
In recent years, the development of peptide-containing cosmetics in China has been widely recognized. Zhang Junhao, Chief Analyst of Consumer Goods at Guosen Securities, introduced, “By 2023, the industry market size has reached 12.21 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 27.06%, and it will continue to maintain double-digit growth in the future.”
Driven by the rapid development of downstream skincare products, the market for active peptide raw materials is also growing rapidly. According to Frost Sullivan data, the market size of peptide-based cosmetic raw materials in China was 1.45 billion yuan in 2021, and it is expected to reach 3.24 billion yuan by 2030.
“Peptide raw materials still have significant development space in the Chinese cosmetics industry. Currently, only 80 types of peptides have been included in the ‘Catalog of Used Cosmetic Raw Materials’ in China, while the numbers for the European Union and the United States are over 2,500 and 1,200, respectively,” pointed out Professor Wang Chao from the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Peking University.
Currently, it is undoubtedly a golden period for the rapid development of peptide raw material companies. The underlying drivers of the development of the cosmetics industry are changing, shifting from channel-driven to product-driven. This has made cosmetic companies pay more attention to material and raw material innovation.
At the event, Zhang Junhao stated, “The three main strategies for creating beauty products are: clear positioning of efficacy, innovative raw materials and raw materials, and category expansion. Among them, raw material innovation is the core.”
As exclusive patented raw materials become important focal points for major cosmetic groups, multiple experts at the event unanimously agreed that “active peptides, with clear mechanisms, high safety, easy absorption, and various effects such as antioxidation, anti-wrinkle, whitening, anti-allergy, and skin repair, are the key to breaking through in many beauty products. They have been applied in well-known domestic and international beauty brands.”
When discussing the innovative applications of peptides, Dr. Karl Lintner, the first scientist to apply peptides to cosmetics and known as the “Father of International Peptides,” believes that “the next trend is sensory experience. Understanding consumer reactions is crucial for enhancing product development in the cosmetics industry. Companies can explore the dialogue between consumers’ minds and skin through AI-driven brain analysis platforms. At the same time, a holistic approach is needed to evaluate the overall effects of cosmetics and focus on the overall experience from purchasing to using the products.”
Furthermore, in terms of innovative research and development of peptides, Professor Lai Ren from the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, drew inspiration from the research results on the skin of amphibians for the development of peptide-based cosmetic raw materials. He explained that frogs can maintain good skin conditions in environments filled with bacteria and intense ultraviolet radiation, mainly due to peptides.
Peptide innovation and synthesis technologies iterate and upgrade, leading pioneer Winkey to stay at the forefront.
The market prospects for peptide cosmetics are vast, but achieving a complete closed-loop industrial chain undoubtedly requires the entire industry chain to promote cost-effective and high-quality industrialization.
At the scene, Dr. Wang Dongdong, the head of computational biology at DeepTech, shared that currently, fields such as medicine, energy, materials, and cosmetics face research and development bottlenecks at the microscale. Leveraging AI technology to create large-scale models at the microscale and utilizing Al + Physics + automation + entity raw material libraries can help accelerate innovation in peptide raw materials.
Dr. Hu Zhihao, the recipient of the 2010 U.S. Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, discussed sustainable and green synthesis of peptides from the perspective of synthetic biology technology. He pointed out that “enzyme engineering and cell engineering can continuously reduce the production cost of peptides and synthesize new peptide compounds. However, many products are difficult to achieve through biosynthesis, and the complexity of fermentation raw materials also presents certain challenges to the purification of products.”
“The synthesis technology of peptides has gone through iterations of classical liquid-phase synthesis, solid-phase synthesis, and continuous flow synthesis.” According to Professor Su Xianbin, a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge and a distinguished professor in Jiangsu/Shandong “Taishan Scholar,” continuous flow liquid-phase synthesis, as a low-cost and high-efficiency method, will also be the breakthrough direction for the future development of the peptide industry. It is reported that this method integrates the life molecular intelligent synthesis system based on AI deep learning, enabling miniaturization, continuous production, and intelligence of production.
Undoubtedly, the vigorous development of technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and synthetic biology has brought unlimited possibilities for innovative research and development of peptides. From the current situation of domestic registration of new peptide raw materials, Winkey is undoubtedly the leading company. It is reported that Winkey has registered as many as eight new peptide raw materials, including six globally innovative structural peptide raw materials, such as Coffee Acyl Hexapeptide-9, Acetyl Hexapeptide-95 Amide, Oligopeptide-215, Niacin Tetrapeptide-30, Tripeptide-105, and Erasin0003. At the same time, Winkey has also reserved more than 100 innovative peptides.
Behind Winkey’s leadership in the peptide raw materials market lies its dual-wheel scientific research drive based on the rigorous logic of innovative drug development and cutting-edge technology.
Dr. Liu Zijian, the R&D director of Winkey, introduced, “Winkey R&D Innovation Center pioneered the introduction of drug development concepts and applied CADD computer-aided drug design and AIDD artificial intelligence drug discovery and design technology. By means of target-based molecular design and ligand-based molecular design, we search for lead compounds. In addition, we synthesize, modify, and optimize the lead compounds to develop safe, efficient, and structurally novel skin-active substances.”
Using the development process of Erasin0003 as an example, Winkey researchers first construct a compound library based on the molecular rearrangement mechanism and amino acid conservation substitution, then perform molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and other virtual screening methods to complete the virtual screening of compounds. They chemically synthesize the selected compounds and establish corresponding efficacy models to complete activity screening and efficacy verification.
According to third-party efficacy tests, Erasin0003 has good collagen-promoting ability and significantly promotes the expression of 5 types of collagen proteins. It has immediate and long-lasting firming effects, significantly tightening the skin in 15 minutes. After using 5% Erasin0003 for 15 days, the fine lines around the eyes of the subjects showed significant improvement, demonstrating its firming and anti-aging effects.
Another example is Winkey’s development of Coffee Acyl Hexapeptide-9, which utilizes PDC (peptide-drug conjugate) technology. It is reported that PDC is an emerging targeted technology composed of peptides, active substances, and linkers. It is the next-generation targeted therapy technology following antibody-drug conjugates, which not only solves the compatibility and permeability issues of simple combinations but also provides a more direct and effective solution. In terms of effectiveness, Coffee Acyl Hexapeptide-9 not only retains the advantages of coffee acid and Hexapeptide-9 but also exhibits good stability and permeability.
In addition, based on the original molecular structure innovation platform, Winkey has also reserved a variety of innovative cyclic peptide molecules and completed the registration of two cyclic peptide raw materials: Yam-Luopeptide and Cyclic Tetrapeptide-24 Aminocyclohexane Carboxylate.
It is not difficult to see that thanks to its strong R&D capabilities and profound technical accumulation, Winkey stands out in the research and development of peptide raw materials, leading the industry.
The precise skincare market is booming, and Winkey provides five major raw material solutions.
The development of cosmetic raw materials not only tests technical expertise but also requires a close understanding of market trends and changes to develop raw materials that meet market demands and gain a competitive advantage.
Tang You, a marketing expert in the business ecosystem of Xiaohongshu, revealed that consumers’ skincare needs are becoming more precise. They select skincare products based on their skin condition on any given day. For example, if they feel their skin looks dull, they will use skincare products with brightening effects. If they have acne, they will use cosmetics containing acne-fighting raw materials. If they feel their skin is in good condition, they will choose stabilizing cosmetics.
Therefore, it is evident that with the upgrading of consumer demands, precise skincare has become a hot topic in the skincare market. According to the “2023 Precise Skincare Trend Report” published by iResearch, the market size of precise skincare reached 61.6 billion yuan in 2023, and it is projected to reach 123.6 billion yuan by 2026. Among them, precise anti-aging, precise stabilization, precise acne treatment, and precise whitening account for 33%, 29%, 18%, and 11% respectively.
In response to this trend, Winkey has proactively positioned itself in the development of active peptides, providing raw material solutions for precise skincare. It is the first company in the industry to launch a multi-peptide skincare system. According to Chen Yanrong, the product director of Winkey, the company has proposed five major solutions: precise anti-aging, precise repair, precise whitening, precise acne treatment, and precise hair loss prevention, targeting different skin concerns with different solutions.
For example, in the precise anti-aging solution, Winkey has established a pyramid model for skin structure rejuvenation and a dual-tower anti-aging model for three-dimensional protection. In the skin structure rejuvenation model, Winkey’s research has found that by using micro-carrier collagen peptide and Ersain0003, the basement membrane structure can be reconstructed, and the dermis can be replenished. Through precise dual-targeted design, it can achieve anti-aging effects on the muscle layer and firm the skin, reducing fine lines. In addition, in the three-dimensional protection model, Winkey primarily utilizes four active peptides: Weilingyu, Erasin0003, green skin peptide, and decarboxylated skin peptide to achieve anti-photoaging, anti-glycation, and antioxidant effects.
Similarly, in the research of the precise repair solution, Winkey discovered that the occurrence of sensitive skin is a complex process involving the skin barrier, neurovascular factors, and immune inflammation. The compromised skin barrier is a key factor in fragile skin, which, when stimulated, is prone to inflammatory vascular reactions and increased neural sensitivity.
Based on this, Winkey has designed a three-step strategy: repairing the epidermal barrier, relieving inflammatory vascular reactions, and reducing neural sensitivity. In the repair of the epidermal barrier, Winkey suggests using Camellia oleifera shark liver oil, composite ceramides, and Weilingyu-S to restore the sebum film and the cornified barrier. To alleviate inflammatory vascular reactions, Weishu can be used to regulate the immune barrier. Wefushu can reduce skin neural sensitivity.
It is worth mentioning that Winkey utilizes carrier encapsulation technology to penetrate precise targets, allowing raw materials to function more efficiently. Dr. Zhang Qianqian, the scientific communication officer of Winkey, explained that Winkey has conducted in-depth research and development of nano-promoting technology for peptides and has applied relevant technologies to its commercial products. For example, in the micro-carrier collagen peptide, the flexible liposome technology is used to achieve triple loading of collagen peptides. The innovative nano-penetration technology not only enhances the penetration rate of peptides but also enhances their biological activity through controlled-release, achieving anti-aging and firming effects through multiple targets and dimensions.
“Winkey Peptide, the Core of China.” Since its establishment in 2011, Winkey has become a leader in active peptide cosmetics after 13 years of unremitting efforts. The hosting of The 1st Active Peptide Innovation Science Conference not only deepens the exploration of global trends in peptides in the skincare field but also demonstrates Winkey’s determination and strength in the field of active peptide technology. With the continuous investment and promotion of innovative research and development by companies like Winkey, China’s peptide industry undoubtedly has a promising future.
