Stem cell-derived bioactive ingredients are becoming an increasingly popular choice for topical product formulations, as evidenced by B2C brands such as FactorFive, Act+Acre, Juice Beauty, and Indie Lee. There is still significant research and development in the B2B field regarding the ethical production of effective stem cell bioactive substances. Edge Foods, recently rebranded to Edge Biotech, is one of the companies making strides in this field.
Learn more about recent advances in the research and development of stem cell-derived cosmetic ingredients, including the company’s innovations in “fibroblast and mesenchymal stem cell conditioned media” and the growing demand for these types of topical ingredients for beauty product formulation. To learn more about CosmeticsDesign, visit CosmeticsDesign. We interviewed Manny Tamargo, his CEO and co-founder of Edge Biotech.
CDU: Can you give us a brief background about your experience, your company, and your relationship with the cosmetics and personal care products industry?
Manny Tamargo (Montana):I have been a vegetarian for 10 years and am happy to be able to use my scientific expertise to work on solutions I care about: eliminating animals from supply chains.
I have extensive experience in stem cell-derived myocardial tissue engineering and bioreactor manufacturing. I created human heart muscle in the lab using stem cell engineering techniques.
Borrowing from these themes, Edge has captured and packaged the power of stem cell communication for causes we’re passionate about. I am the author of nine of his publications and five provisional patents, two from his PhD and three from Edge.
We recognize that regenerative medicine has the power to reshape human health and animal welfare. Therefore, our mission is to use our expertise to create animal products that do not require animal sacrifice.
Our work at Edge is a unique blend of our passions: ethical biotechnology in food and personal care, driven by sustainable and innovative practices.
CDU: What are some recent innovations that Edge Biotech has created for manufacturers and suppliers in the cosmetics and personal care products industry?
MT: We develop bioactive ingredients using stem cell technology. Our innovation involves conditioning and packaging the cell secretome in the form of conditioned media that supports cell growth.
These products are rich in growth factors, fatty acids, exosomes, and metabolites essential for skin rejuvenation and stem cell activation. Our unique approach ensures these ingredients are produced sustainably and ethically, with minimal impact on the environment.
By utilizing real mammalian proteins and avoiding harsh chemicals and cellular waste, we provide the cosmetic industry with clean, highly effective ingredients.
Our Rejuvinem contains 5x higher concentrations of key bioactive compounds to enhance biological performance. Rigorous testing has confirmed its effectiveness in promoting cellular health.
Additionally, our concentrate formulations are competitively priced, delivering up to 80% cost benefits to our partners.
CDU: What industry pain points is Edge Biotech addressing for manufacturers and suppliers of cosmetics and personal care products? What solutions are being developed to address those pain points? ?
MT: There is a growing demand in the cosmetics and personal care industry for differentiated active ingredients that are gentle, sustainable, and not tested on animals. Skincare brands currently face a trade-off between ethics and effectiveness.
Furthermore, new ingredients like collagen have major problems, including dependence on animal-derived ingredients and the environmental impact of traditional manufacturing methods.
Edge addresses these challenges by offering differentiated bio-based ingredients without compromise. Our ingredients are protein-rich and effective, and no harsh chemicals or solvents are used in their production.
We focus on minimal downstream processing and use a cosmetic-grade supply chain, making our products not only environmentally friendly, but also effective and accessible. In doing so, we open the door to mid-market cosmetics and strengthen both ingredient quality and sustainability in the personal care industry.
CDU: How does Edge Biotech introduce technological advancements into innovative ingredient formulations for the cosmetics and personal care products industry?
MT: We leverage the latest stem cell research and bioengineering to create bioactive ingredients such as conditioned media for fibroblasts and mesenchymal stem cells. Our unique method adapts production to suspension, resulting in a dense, protein-rich product.
Next, use logarithmically controlled cell growth conditions. Finally, we use fibers to concentrate and clean our products, eliminating chromatography and solvent-based methods, avoiding harsh chemicals, and minimizing waste.
This approach not only increases the effectiveness of our products, but also aligns with our commitment to ethical and environmentally friendly practices in the cosmetics industry.
CDU: What plans does Edge Biotech have for further innovation and development in the cosmetics and personal care product space?
MT: Our immediate plans include leveraging our innovative stem cell technology to enter the market as a business-to-business (B2B) supplier of cell-conditioned media. This move will democratize access to high-end stem cell-based ingredients and make them available in mid-range cosmetics.
We are particularly excited to introduce a new product line from mesenchymal stem cells that complements our existing fibroblast conditioned media. We continue to focus on sustainable practices and use food-grade manufacturing processes to provide cost-effective solutions.
We envision Edge to play a pivotal role in transforming the cosmetics industry with ethical and biotech-enabled ingredients.
Over time, Edge plans to scale up production, starting with larger shaker flasks and gradually moving to larger bioreactors. Our goal is to produce 500 kg of stem cell protein per year on a commercial scale, not only for cosmetics but also for cellular agriculture and life sciences.
Looking to the future, Edge is actively seeking more partnerships and customers as we aim to establish conditional media products as the industry standard. In a year’s time, I believe Edge will be recognized as a key enabler to fulfill orders on a regular basis and reduce the cost burden of growth factors and recombinant proteins.
