Unilever has been granted a patent for a new compound called nicotinic acid glycerol ester (NAE), which can be used in topical personal care compositions. The compound is capable of modulating or activating cellular AMPK levels and increasing skin cellular bioenergetics. The patent also covers the use of NAEs in the manufacture of skincare products. GlobalData’s report on Unilever gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Unilever, Nanoemulsion cosmetics was a key innovation area identified from patents. Unilever's grant share as of September 2023 was 58%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US11767314B2) discloses a compound called nicotinic acid glycerol ester, which is represented by Structural Formula IV. The compound is characterized by having a log P value greater than -1 and less than 5.8. It is also claimed that the compound has effectiveness as an AMPK activator or modulator, and it can increase the cellular AMP/ATP ratio in skin fibroblast cells.
The patent also covers mixtures of the compound with other nicotinic acid glycerol ester compounds, including Structural Formula I and Structural Formula VC1. These mixtures can be used in topical personal care compositions.
The patent further describes a topical personal care composition that includes the nicotinic acid glycerol ester compound as well as optional skin benefit agents and a cosmetically acceptable carrier. The concentration of the compound in the composition can range from 0.001 to 10% by weight. The composition can be either an emulsion or a non-emulsion formulation.
In addition to the nicotinic acid glycerol ester compound, the composition may also contain other ingredients such as retinoic acid, creatine, 1,2-octanediol, sunscreen, conjugated linoleic acid, hydroxyl acid, niacinamide, 12-hydroxystearic acid, phenoxyethanol, or a mixture thereof. If the composition is an emulsion, it is specified to be an oil-in-water emulsion.
The patent also includes a method that involves using the topical personal care composition, particularly when it is an oil-in-water emulsion, in combination with optional skin benefit agents such as 3-carbamoyl-1-((3R,4R,5R)-3,4-diacetoxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)pyridin-1-ium trifluoromethanesulfonate (“JR1”), 1-((3R,4R,5R)-3,4-bis(butyryloxy)-5-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)-3-carbamoylpyridin-1-ium trifluoromethanesulfonate (“JR2”), (3R,4R,5R)-2-(3-carbamoylpyridin-1(4H)-yl)-5-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran-3,4-diyl diacetate (“JR3”), or a mixture thereof.
Overall, this patent provides protection for a specific compound, nicotinic acid glycerol ester, and its mixtures, which can be used in topical personal care compositions. The compound is claimed to have certain characteristics and effectiveness as an AMPK activator or modulator. The patent also covers the formulation of the composition, including its concentration, emulsion type, and optional ingredients.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
