Sabinsa Corporation today announced that it was granted U.S. patent #7,217,546 titled "Commercially viable process for high purity of fatty alcohol C24 to C36 and its cosmetic application for skin, hair and nails." The patent covers the process for producing commercial quantities of policosanol containing 70 to 95 percent C28 fatty alcohol (Octacosanol) along with other lower chain length fatty alcohols for use in cosmeceutical applications designed to control sebum, inhibit the growth of microbes and promote softening and soothing of the skin. A solvent free supercritical carbon dioxide extraction process is used in conjunction with an immobilized enzyme to remove the active alcohols from raw material including sugarcane wax, beeswax and rice bran.

"This solvent free extraction process has low environmental impact and complies with increasingly stringent global regulatory standards. As with all Sabinsa ingredients, policosanol CG is produced in accordance with strict good manufacturing practice standards," noted Todd Norton, president, Sabinsa Corporation. "Policosanol CG will be distributed by Degussa Goldschmidt Personal Care along with several of our other quality cosmeceutical ingredients including Arjunolic Extract, Galanga Extract and Turmeric SCFE."

Policosanol can be used as a stand-alone ingredient or in combination with other actives such as antibacterials, blemish erasers, sunscreens or sunscreen boosters in skin care formulations beneficial for the management of acne. Suggested levels of use are 1 percent to 5 percent by weight in cosmetic creams, lotions, gels, hair care, lip care and nail care products. Additionally, the moisturizing and skin smoothing benefits of policosanol suggest its potential use as a substitute for lanolin and other animal fats. The safety and efficacy of policosanol were validated by Sabinsa using in vitro and clinical studies. No animal testing was employed.