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VitaHydrokultur (VHK) is developing a new class of high-performance skincare ingredients: bioactive proteins are functional molecules that support skin regeneration, repair, hydration, and anti-ageing.

These proteins are already used in advanced skincare and dermatology, but VHK is reimagining how they’re produced and delivered for modern, conscious consumers. While other sections of this document cover how we make them, this section outlines what they are and what they do.

What Are Bioactive Proteins?

Bioactive proteins are biologically active molecules that interact with skin cells to trigger specific responses. In skincare, they act as molecular messengers – helping to repair tissue, build collagen, reduce inflammation, and restore skin vitality.

Used in the right concentrations, these proteins can:

They are especially valuable in high-end cosmeceuticals, post-treatment products, and dermatologist-led skincare routines.

Functional Roles in Skincare

Different proteins have different biological effects, and their application depends on the specific skin function they’re targeting. At VHK, we’ve prioritised a selection of proteins based on their efficacy, relevance to cosmetic science, and demand within the skincare market.

The table below summarises key proteins under development, their biological functions, cosmetic applications, and current status within VHK’s pipeline:

Protein	Biological Function	Cosmetic Application	VHK Development Status
FGF1 (Acidic Fibroblast Growth Factor)	Stimulates fibroblast proliferation and collagen production	Skin regeneration, anti-aging, improved elasticity	Proof of concept achieved
FGF2 (Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor)	Promotes cell proliferation and angiogenesis (blood vessel formation)	Wound healing, skin rejuvenation, hydration boost	Proof of concept achieved
VEGF A (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A)	Induces formation of capillaries and microcirculation	Brighter complexion, improved nutrient delivery, post-procedure recovery	Proof of concept achieved
EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor)	Signals skin cells to regenerate and repair epidermis	Fine line reduction, resurfacing, overall rejuvenation	Planned for future R&D
IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor 1)	Enhances collagen/elastin synthesis and skin density	Skin thickening, firmness, elasticity	Planned for future R&D
KGF / FGF7 (Keratinocyte Growth Factor)	Stimulates keratinocyte growth and differentiation	Barrier repair, hydration, sensitive skin support	Planned for future R&D
PDGF (Platelet-Derived Growth Factor)	Stimulates cell growth and tissue remodeling	Wound healing, post-treatment recovery, scar reduction	Under evaluation
TGF-β (Transforming Growth Factor Beta)	Regulates collagen production and immune response	Anti-aging, firming, scar prevention	Under evaluation
GM-CSF (Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor)	Modulates skin repair and immune signalling	Skin regeneration, inflammation control	Under evaluation
NGF (Nerve Growth Factor)	Supports nerve regeneration and skin innervation	Anti-aging, sensitivity recovery, neurocosmetics	Future exploration
Interleukins (e.g. IL-10, IL-4)	Regulate inflammatory pathways and immune balance	Sensitive skin care, rosacea, redness reduction	Future exploration

The Production Platform & Technology

At the core of our platform is a simple idea: use plants as biofactories. Just as yeast can be programmed to brew alcohol or insulin, our chosen host plant – Nicotiana benthamiana – can be programmed to produce high-value skincare proteins. The process, known as transient expression, transforms every plant into a temporary protein lab.

How it works

Instead of modifying seeds or creating genetically modified crops, we temporarily deliver DNA into plant leaves using a benign soil bacterium called Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This bacterium acts as a courier, delivering the protein blueprint into the plant’s cells. The plant reads these instructions for a short window (5–7 days), produces the target protein, and then is harvested. No permanent genetic change, no GMO.

This approach enables fast, scalable, and ethically clean protein production, without the drawbacks of traditional systems.

Why Not Modify the Seed?

Permanently modifying seeds might seem efficient, but it classifies the plant as a Genetically Modified Organism (GMO), triggering regulatory hurdles, longer development timelines, and market resistance in key regions.

Creating a transgenic plant takes 12–18 months. Transient expression takes 2–3 weeks. GMO classification can restrict exports and increase compliance costs, whereas our method avoids these issues entirely. It’s cleaner, faster, and aligns with growing consumer demand for non-GMO skincare.

Step-by-Step: From Gene to Protein

Design the Gene (Digitally)

We begin on a computer using bioinformatics tools to design the gene encoding our target protein (e.g. FGF2). This means translating the protein’s amino acid sequence into a DNA sequence optimised for plant use (a process called codon optimisation). We also add extra instructions: promoters to tell the plant when to make the protein, signal peptides for cellular direction, and purification tags for easier extraction.

Synthesise the Gene (Physically)

The digital sequence is sent to a DNA synthesis company (like Twist Bioscience or GenScript), which chemically builds the DNA strand and returns a tiny vial containing the real, physical gene.

Clone the Gene into a Plasmid (Circular DNA)

The gene is then inserted into a circular piece of DNA called a plasmid. Think of this as a USB stick for genetic instructions. The insertion is done using either restriction enzymes or Gibson Assembly – molecular scissors and glue. This plasmid becomes the delivery package for the gene.

Copy the Plasmid Using Bacteria

To make millions of copies, we put the plasmid into fast-growing E. coli bacteria. As they multiply, they copy the plasmid. We extract these copies to use in the next step.

Agrobacterium Transformation

The next step is to transfer our plasmid into a bacterium called Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This bacterium is nature’s genetic delivery system, it’s been used for decades to transfer DNA into plants. We use techniques like electroporation (a brief electric shock) or freeze-thaw cycling to open up the Agrobacterium’s cell walls so that it absorbs the plasmid. Once inside, the Agrobacterium becomes a courier, carrying our gene blueprint. What makes this bacteria so special is its natural ability to insert genes into plant cells – a trick we now use to deliver our synthetic gene into leaf tissue safely and efficiently.

Plant Infiltration

Once the Agrobacterium is ready, it is used to deliver the DNA into Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. But we don’t inject each leaf one by one – we use a method called vacuum infiltration to treat dozens or even hundreds of plants at once.

Here’s how it works: The Agrobacterium is suspended in a special solution, and entire plants are turned upside down and submerged into it. A vacuum is then applied, removing the air from inside the leaf tissues. When the vacuum is released, the Agrobacterium solution rushes in to fill the empty space, penetrating deep into the plant cells. This all happens in minutes and is highly efficient.

The ideal infiltration window is when the plants are 4–6 weeks old, roughly 15–30 cm tall, and in their vegetative stage, with around 10–15 healthy leaves. Younger plants don’t have enough biomass, and older ones may have begun flowering, which can reduce protein yield and make infiltration harder. At this stage, the plant is like a green factory floor: actively growing, full of energy, and perfectly receptive.

This process ensures widespread delivery of the gene across a large portion of leaf cells, allowing high levels of protein to be produced in just a few days, without altering the plant’s DNA permanently.

Transient Expression

After infiltration, the inserted gene remains active in the plant’s cells for around 5–7 days. During this time, the plant’s internal machinery reads the temporary instructions and begins assembling the target protein. This is known as transient expression: short-lived, high-output protein production. Because we’re not altering the plant’s DNA permanently, this avoids regulatory classification as GMO.

Harvest & Extraction

Once protein expression peaks (usually on day 6 or 7), plants are harvested. The leaves are ground using cold lysis buffers that prevent protein degradation. This process ruptures the cells and releases the protein into the solution. The extract is then filtered and clarified by centrifugation to remove plant debris, leaving behind a protein-rich solution.

Purification

To isolate our target protein from everything else, we use affinity chromatography. If the protein was tagged (e.g., with a His-tag), it binds selectively to a nickel-based resin, allowing us to extract just the protein. Further purification steps – like ion exchange, size exclusion, or ultrafiltration – may be used to enhance purity, stability, or concentration.

Formulation

The final protein is converted into one of two stable commercial formats:

Why We Use Nicotiana benthamiana as a Host Plant

Not all plants are created equal. We chose Nicotiana benthamiana as our expression chassis for multiple scientific and commercial advantages:

Biotech Provenance - It’s the industry-standard plant in molecular farming - trusted by academia and industry for over two decades.
Fast Growth, High Biomass - Rapid 4–6-week growth cycles yield large volumes of leaf tissue - ideal for high-yield protein production.
High Expression Compatibility - It absorbs Agrobacterium efficiently, making it ideal for transient expression.
Low Background Interference - Fewer natural proteins mean cleaner extracts and easier purification.
Non-Food, Non-Feed - Not being part of the food chain avoids biosafety issues and enhances regulatory and ethical acceptance.
Mapped Genome - Its genome is fully sequenced and well-understood, making customisation and troubleshooting efficient.

It’s the ideal vehicle for ethical, scalable, and high-purity protein production.

Vertical Farming

We’ve partnered with Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS), A market leader in vertical farming infrastructure, to build our scalable platform. Our farms are controlled-environment, modular, and lab-grade – more like a cleanroom than a greenhouse.

Vertical farming gives us year-round, high-frequency production with minimal water use, zero pesticides, and no seasonal disruption. Each crop cycle runs like a precision manufacturing process.

Optimising Protein Expression

We don’t stop at growing plants. We continuously optimise every environmental factor to maximise protein yield and quality. These include:

Light intensity
Light spectrum
Photoperiod (light duration per 24 hours)
CO₂ concentration
Temperature (air & root)
Relative Humidity
Airflow
Vapour Pressure Density (VPD)
Nutrient composition & pH
Infiltration timing & plant age
Plant density & spacing

Factor	Vertical Farming (Lab-Grade)	Greenhouse Cultivation	Outdoor Cultivation
Environmental Control	Full control (light, CO₂, temp, humidity, nutrients). Precision-tuned for protein expression.	Partial control (mostly temperature & humidity). Vulnerable to light & climate changes.	No control. Fully exposed to weather and seasonal variation.
Efficiency	Operates 24/7/365. Continuous production cycles. No downtime due to seasons or sunlight.	Dependent on natural light and seasons. Some downtime in winter	Restricted to seasonal daylight cycles. Large downtime between harvests.
Cycle Time / Harvest Speed	Accelerated growth cycles (3–6 weeks), year-round staggered production.	Moderate. Dependent on seasonality but somewhat extendable.	Seasonal. Only 2–3 harvests per year depending on location.
Yield Consistency	High. Controlled conditions = reliable batch-to-batch results.	Moderate. Influenced by weather and greenhouse infrastructure.	Low. Subject to pests, rain, drought, and other variables.
Contamination Risk	Very low. Sterile or semi-sterile systems prevent microbial/pesticide contamination.	Moderate. Pest intrusion and pesticide use possible.	High. Exposure to pests, soil pathogens, air pollution, etc.
Pesticide / Herbicide Use	None. Indoor clean environment eliminates need for chemical treatments.	Occasionally used. Less than outdoor farming, but still present.	Regular use required for weed and pest control.
Protein Purity & Safety	Highest. Cleanroom-grade growth with no interfering plant toxins.	Moderate. More impurities and biological variability.	Lowest. High bioburden and variable biomass.
GMO Risk / Cross-Pollination	Zero risk. Fully contained system; no chance of genetic escape or wild cross-pollination.	Some risk if GMOs are involved. Airborne cross-pollination possible.	High risk in GMO systems. Pollen drift can impact surrounding crops.

Given the interdependence of these variables, our R&D facility constantly runs combinations to discover optimal conditions. Below are examples of combinatorial optimisation strategies.

We’re building not just a production system, but a performance engine for plant-based proteins.

Combo	Objective
Red:Blue light ratio × CO₂ levels	Maximise photosynthesis + protein folding
Photoperiod × Nutrient concentration	Align protein expression with nutrient uptake
Temp × Humidity × Light intensity	Control metabolic stress for expression boost
Elicitors × Light Spectrum	Prime immune response to drive expression yields

A Platform Built for Performance

VHG’s production system doesn’t just improve the way proteins are made – it transforms the business model for bringing them to market. Here’s what makes our approach so disruptive:

Speed

From gene design to purified protein in less than three weeks. That’s 6–12 months faster than traditional methods, enabling rapid iteration, testing, and go-to-market flexibility.

Cost

Lower capital expenditure (no bioreactors, no fermentation tanks) and lower operating costs (minimal energy, water, and chemical inputs) mean we can deliver premium bioactives at a fraction of the industry norm, without compromising on quality.

Flexibility

Switching production from one protein to another requires no new cell lines, no genetic modification of the host, and no regulatory bottlenecks. This makes us agile enough to serve both standardised bulk demand and bespoke client requests.

Purity

Our proteins are endotoxin-free (no bacterial contamination), animal-free (no animal-derived inputs), and vegan-friendly – essential for clean beauty and compliant with the most stringent cosmetic regulations. Batch-to-batch consistency is guaranteed through precision farming and closed-loop quality assurance, which means:

Monitoring every stage of the process - from DNA design to protein purification
Checking that protocols are followed precisely (like environmental settings in vertical farms)
Testing the final product for purity, potency, and safety
Documenting everything for regulatory traceability

Sustainability

With no soil, pesticides, or seasonal constraints, our vertical farming system minimises water use, waste, and carbon emissions. Our production runs 24/7, 365 days a year, regardless of weather or geography.

Traceability

We control every step, from the design of the DNA to the final vial of formulated protein. This vertical integration gives our partners full visibility into the origin, process, and quality of every batch. It’s “seed to serum” in the most literal and traceable sense.

Product Versatility

We offer two ready-to-use formats: lyophilised powders for long-term storage and precise dosing, and aqueous solutions for ease of formulation. Both formats are supported by validated purity, potency, and stability data and can be customised by concentration.

Ethical by Design

VHG’s platform is entirely animal-free, GMO-free, and cruelty-free. Our system aligns with the ethical standards of the clean beauty movement and provides peace of mind in an increasingly regulated consumer market.

This isn’t just biotechnology, it’s a reinvention of how functional ingredients are imagined, made, and delivered. Our platform replaces slow, high-cost, high-risk methods with speed, transparency, and sustainability. We don’t just grow proteins. We grow trust. We grow opportunity. We grow the future of beauty – from seed to serum.