ProtecTHA

Innovative solar filters for safer and more eco-sustainable PROTECtion: titanium-apatites (TiHAPol) as physical filters of UV rays

Principal Investigator: Monica Sandri
Personnel involved: Elisabetta Campodoni, Chiara Artusi, Margherita Montanari 

Starting date: 01/05/2021
Duration: 12 mesi
Total budget: 74.000 €
Action: Bando MiSE per il cofinanziamento di Proof of Concept (PoC) 2020. Programma CNR AMICO, programma di incentivo e sostegno alle attività di Applicazione, MIglioramento e COstruzione dei trovati brevettati.
CNR-ISTEC role: Project coordinator

The ProtecTHA Project aims to bring to TRL 5 the technology protected by the patent WO2017153888, PCT/IB2017/051290, Physical solar filter consisting of substituted hydroxyapatite in an organic matrix, an innovative ceramic-based UV physical filter, aimed at the development of safe and eco-sustainable solar products.
The physical filters have an active mineral phase, consisting nano-structured hydroxyapatite particles (nHA) including Titanium (IV) “ions” grown, through a biomineralization process, in an organic matrix consisting of a biocompatible natural polymer (TiHAPol).
This technology offers a significant opportunity for innovation in the field of sun protection products because it is able of both reflecting and absorbing UV radiation and it is designed ad-hoc for the creation of more effective, long-lasting, skin-safe and eco-sustainable cosmetic products.
The project consists in a first phase of scale-up of the production process and characterization of the physical filter to obtain larger batches so as to verify the reproducibility of the synthesis process. Subsequently, the mineral phase will be integrated into a solar formulation, thus including in addition to the physical filter, also all the chemical components of a cream that will be than tested in terms of stability, safety, functionality and effectiveness.
Then will be evaluated the stability of the product over time and sun exposure, in addition, the effectiveness of the formulation in the protection of the skin and its safety will be demonstrated through in vitro and in vivo tests carried out according to the current legislation, in order to validate the sun product in view of a possible future commercialization.
These objectives will also be achieved thanks to the expertise and collaboration of the Spin-off Ambrosialab, expert in the design of innovative cosmetic and solar formulations.

Publications and patents

• WO2017153888: Physical solar filter consisting of substituted hydroxyapatite in an organic matrix
  Inventors: Sandri Monica, Sprio Simone, Tampieri Anna
  Italian patent n. 102016000023614
  Priority date: 07/03/2016
  Pub. No.: WO2017153888 International Application No.: PCT/IB2017/051290
  International Filing Date: 06/03/2017 Publication Date: 14/09/2017