PhytoSquene®
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Information
PhytoSquene® is the world’s first GMP-quality, plant-derived squalene. It offers a sustainable and high-quality alternative to traditional shark-derived squalene, meeting the need for sustainably sourced pharmaceutical-grade squalene. The key drivers behind its development are sustainability, safety, regulatory compliance and social responsibility.
Extracting squalene from shark livers for use in parenteral pharmaceutical applications such as vaccines depletes shark populations, which impacts marine biodiversity. PhytoSquene® supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of protecting ecosystems and promoting circularity, while also mitigating risks associated with bioaccumulative toxins found in animal sources, and ensuring batch-to-batch consistency and superior quality in compliance with European Pharmacopoeia standards.
Made from amaranth oil and manufactured in Germany using proprietary technology, PhytoSquene® not only advances patient safety and acceptance, but also demonstrates Evonik’s commitment to next-generation solutions with a positive sustainability profile. PhytoSquene® provides vaccine manufacturers and patients peace of mind while protecting marine ecosystems.
Country
Germany
Product Type
Adjuvant - Pharmaceutical ingredient
Application Areas
Squalene is a natural lipid that is used in a range of applications including cosmetics, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. In the healthcare industry, squalene is used in parenteral drug delivery as an adjuvant. Vaccine adjuvants are additives that stimulate the body’s immune response to the active ingredient in a vaccine. Squalene allows the transport of antigens for their recognition by cells such as macrophages or dendritic cells. It is used, for example, in some influenza vaccines. Vaccine adjuvants such as squalene reduce the amount of active ingredient needed in a vaccine, thus making it quicker and easier to scale vaccine production and reducing the chance of any side effects.
Key Features
PhytoSquene® is currently the only plant-based squalene on the market that is available in GMP quality. Its key features, functionality and unique properties can be summarized in three categories: Sustainability: PhytoSquene® is plant-based, derived from renewable raw materials (amaranth) and does not require any animal/shark materials. This helps protect life below water. Declining shark populations is linked to the overall decline of biodiversity. Therefore, PhytoSquene® contributes to the preservation of marine biodiversity. Consistent quality: PhytoSquene® is extremely pure (99.9-100%) and there is no batch-to-batch variation. It complies with European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) regulations. Supply security: PhytoSquene® is plant based which means its supply is more secure than for an animal-derived product. Large-scale manufacturing is possible.
