// WO R K

The world's first technology for

cosmetic products based on
Chitosan Hydrogel*. Skin care
// AG medica has never been so safe.

AG medica is a technology startup company founded by Grzegorz Gorczyca, Polish scientist of the younger generation, creator
of Chitosan Hydrogel technology (INCI: Aqua, Chitosan, Carbon dioxide). The production technology of Chitosan Hydrogel is
protected by granted patents and patent applications. Chitosan hydrogel is a 100% natural substance and has the highest
possible safety index for cosmetic products (EWG’s Hazard Score = 1). It can be an independent cosmetic base and, at the same
time, an active ingredient with a multi-level soothing, regenerating and protective effect on the skin. This allows the elimination
of dangerous substances from cosmetics (eg preservatives, fillers and stabilizers). The company possesses
implementation-backed experience in creating cosmetic products based on Chitosan Hydrogel.

// DEFINITION OF THE PROBLEM

Currently, the cosmetics market is dominated by products whose cosmetics base contains substances (often synthetic) with
high or medium health risk, including preservatives, thickeners and stabilizers (EWG's Hazard Score = 3-10). These products
more and more often do not meet the expectations of conscious consumers who prefer a healthy and ecological lifestyle. There
is a growing demand for safe and natural cosmetics made of ingredients from the lowest risk for health, that is, they do not
contain substances with recognized allergenic, irritating, ecotoxic or carcinogenic properties or recognized as dangerous for
pregnant women. At the same time, WHO indicates an increase in the incidence of skin diseases, including contact dermatitis
and various types of dermatoses (eg, AD and psoriasis). This is another factor increasing the demand for cosmetics safe for the
skin, characterized by properties possessed by Chitosan Hydrogel. The safety of cosmetic products thus becomes an important
criterion for purchasing decisions and is the subject of interest of regulatory authorities. Almost 50% of the decisions of the
European Commission issued since the entry into force of the Cosmetics Regulation resulted in limitation or withdrawal from
use of preservatives. Replacing removed compounds with new ones is difficult due to the EU ban on the introduction of
cosmetics whose ingredients have been tested on animals. Despite the prohibitions and restrictions, the complete elimination
of all such ingredients from traditional cosmetics is difficult or even impossible. The solution is to replace the currently used
cosmetic bases with a base based on Chitosan Hydrogel. Chitosan Hydrogel has antimicrobial properties and it does not
require the addition of preservatives under appropriate conditions.

// VALUE PROPOSAL (SOLUTION):

The Chitosan Hydrogel, consisting of only natural raw materials: chitosan, water and CO2, is a response to the needs of the
industry and consumer expectations. It is both an independent cosmetic base and an active substance with a soothing,
regenerating and protective activity. The Chitosan Hydrogel simultaneously has the lowest possible EWG’s Hazard Score = 1
ratio. It has the potential to replace current solutions.

CHITOSAN HYDROGEL TECHNOLOGY FEATURES: *Chitosan Hydrogel is a 100% natural

the highest possible level of safety for the skin,
a completely natural product,
a product with preservative properties,
cosmetic base and active ingredient in one,
less complicated raw materials policy.
substance, which is also a unique active
ingredient with a wide action (moisturizes,
protects and regenerates) and an
independent cosmetic base.
INCI: Aqua, Chitosan, Carbon dioxide.

The launch of a new, 100% natural and safe cosmetics base based on patented Chitosan Hydrogel technology will address
consumer needs and create a competitive advantage. Cosmetics made on the basis of Chitosan Hydrogel are not only safe
products, free from substances adversely affecting health, but also products that provide irritated skin the proper environment
for regeneration and protection against harmful external factors.
// COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT:
Due to the size of the global cosmetics market (billions of dollars a year),
there are many cosmetics and technology start-ups in the world whose
goal is to develop increasingly safe cosmetic products. The efforts of AG The basic competitive
medica competition focus on obtaining cosmetic formulations using advantage of Chitosan Hydrogel
natural substances and avoiding some of the components negatively is its unique multifunctionality
perceived by conscious consumers (eg parabens, PEGs, silicones).
Nevertheless, the elimination of all such factors remains a difficult (active ingredient with
challenge for the manufacturer of cosmetic products. Companies in the multilevel effect and cosmetic
immediate competitive environment focus on the use of synthetic and base responsible for consistency
natural substances with antimicrobial activity. Chitosan Hydrogel has
such properties and does not require the addition of preservatives. and product stability).
Chitosan Hydrogel manufacturing technology has been patented (EPO).
Competition may therefore use chitosan as a substance, but it must use
other gel-forming technologies that require the use of hazardous
substances (eg organic acids).

// CURRENT STATUS OF THE PROJECT

The Chitosan Hydrogel technology was originally developed as part of
the production of innovative dressing materials for patients with hardly
healing wounds (Gorczyca G., Tylingo R., Szweda P., Milewski S.,
Sadowska M., Augustin E., Preparation and characterization of genipin
cross-linked porous chitosan-collagen-gelatin scaffolds using
chitosan-CO2 solution. Carbohyd. Poym. 102: 901–911 (2014)). As part of
the work carried out in the laboratories of the Gdansk University of
Technology by the leaders of the AG medica team, the concept of
technology for the production of Chitosan Hydrogel in laboratory
conditions was developed and the possibility of its use in medical
applications was confirmed. This technology has been patented
(patents B1 222739, B1 223280), the scope of protection has been
extended based on the EPO procedure (EP2920240). The technology has
received a number of awards in prestigious international salons of
inventions (Archimedes-Moscow, ARCA-Zagreb, IENA-Nuremberg). In
2015, work began on implementation of Chitosan Hydrogel technology
on the polish cosmetics market, AG medica was established as a part of family company “KAEM Maria Krystyna Krupska”. As
a result of intensive R&D works, in 2016 the company introduced the first test product developed on the basis of this technology
– “Chitozan Naturalny Sun”, the first product of this type without preservatives and other thickeners or stabilizers (composition:
95% w/w Chitosan Hydrogel, 5% w/w D-panthenol), INCI: Aqua, Chitosan, D-panthenol, Carbon dioxide). This product has been
successfully used by several thousand consumers for the last two years for the care and regeneration of the skin after various
types of irritations, especially after sunburns and insect bites. The purpose of further work is to carry out the process of scaling
the author's method of producing cosmetic products based on Chitosan Hydrogel, so that further (more complex) cosmetic
products could be developed. For this purpose, AG medica intends to raise funds for R&D works under European Union Smart
Growth Operational Programme 2014-2020.

// PROJECT LEADERS

The AG medica team consists of people with above-average scientific

achievements and committed and experienced managerial staff. The
// C ON TA C T
leader of the research staff of AG Medica and at the same time the
initiator and creator of the Chitosan Hydrogel technology has given up Team Leader
his scientific career to fully implement on the market the initiated Grzegorz Gorczyca
research project.
Phone
PhD. GRZEGORZ GORCZYCA +48 668 425 868
Founder of AG medica. An expert in the field of Email
biopolymers and biomaterials. Initiator and
co-creator of the Chitosan Hydrogel technology. g.gorczyca@chitozan.pl
At AG medica he is the project leader, director of gregory.gorczyca@gmail.com
Research and Development, combining duties
related to the development of Chitosan Hydrogel Web
technology with implementation activities aimed www.chitozannaturalny.pl/en
at locating technologies on the market.

//
PhD. ROBERT TYLINGO
An expert in the field of rheology and biopolymer
chemistry. Co-creator of the Chitosan Hydrogel
technology. Scientist at Gdansk University of
Technology. At AG medica he is a Research and
Development Specialist, responsible for the
overall development of Chitosan Hydrogel
technology, scaling and identification of new
applications.
HYPERLINKS
Chitosan Hydrogel presentation for
cosmetic market: http://bit.ly/2FgoGBV
Publication in which the use of Chitosan
Hydrogel was described for the first time:
Gorczyca G., et al. Carbohyd. Polym. 102: 901–911 (2014).
http://bit.ly/2DVSiTO
EPO patent application: http://bit.ly/2I5TUJV