On 6 October 2015, the official launch meeting of the PeptiCaps project was held. Its objective is to produce and secure approval (up to pilot scale) for a new family of nanocapsules that respond to stimuli and which are capable of encapsulating and protecting active ingredients with dermatological applications such as allergic contact dermatitis, skin irritations, sun damage and pigmentation problems.

To obtain these “smart” nanocapsules, the project will develop macro-emulsifiers which, by accurately monitoring the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance, will enable active ingredients to be released in response to a change in pH and/or the presence of certain enzymes which are present in the skin when dermatological disorders of this kind occur. The effectiveness of the smart nanocapsules will be measured by comparing them with equivalent products that do not respond to stimuli.

Furthermore, given the growing public and academic concern regarding the safety, health risks and ecotoxicity of engineered nanomaterials, the project will also study these aspects of the products that are developed in accordance with the guidelines set by the OECD.

The project has received €3,850,000 of funding and will last for 3 years. 4 companies and 5 research centres from different countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Finland and Israel are participating in the consortium, which will be led by CIDETEC.