Lygos CBx and Metalabs Partner to Co-Develop and Commercialize Haircare Products Featuring Cannabinoids

BERKELEY, Calif. & SEOUL–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#CBG—Lygos, Inc., a vertically integrated provider of safe and sustainable specialty ingredients, and Metalabs Co., LTD., a health, wellness and haircare company based in Korea, today announced a partnership to develop haircare and shampoo products featuring Lygos-CBG� (cannabigerol). CBG is a cannabinoid that has been reported to interact with the endocannabinoid receptors that are involved in hair growth and inflammation.^1-3 Metalabs will incorporate its specialty formulations with Lygos-CBG into a new line of haircare and shampoo products designed for a deep cleansing and purifying process that promotes strand resistance while enhancing volume, shine and growth.

The Lygos CBx platform enables the production of many cannabinoid compounds for consumer applications in an environmentally safe, sustainable and cost-effective manner. This partnership enables important product formulations that have not been used due to scalability, consistency and cost issues. Lygos CBx’ novel production pathway offers a high-performance, ultra-pure, THC-free, and consistent alternative to agricultural-based cannabinoid production. The two companies will work together to develop a proprietary formulation and conduct safety and efficacy studies. The results of these studies are expected in 2021, prior to the anticipated commercial launch of the new line of haircare and shampoo products.

“We are excited to work with Lygos and leverage its proprietary cannabinoid production platform to make a line of innovative consumer haircare and shampoo products that delivers on the promise of our innovative brand,” said Michael Yoo, CEO of Metalabs. “Metalabs and Lygos share a vision of improving wellness and health through high-quality products and the access to key enabling ingredients, such as Lygos-CBG, will lead us to new markets in the future.”

“Together with Metalabs, we are poised to transform the traditional haircare products market with these new, cannabinoid-based natural supplements,” said Eric Steen, PhD, CEO of Lygos. “We believe we’re just beginning to understand the vast potential of these ingredients and the many health and wellness benefits they offer across a number of sectors.”

About Metalabs

Metalabs, in South Korea, has a business area focused on wellness and beauty. Metalabs has a comprehensive haircare platform that provides professional healthcare-based treatment options. Metalabs distributes therapeutics for hair loss and operates several Mojelim haircare clinics, which supply various cosmeceutical products and treatments for hair care. Metalabs has developed biological functional ingredients and cosmetic formulations for cosmeceutical products and distributed products in the Korean and Asian markets. For more information, visit metalabs.co.kr.

About Lygos CBx

Lygos CBx is a Lygos company focused on low-cost, industrial-scale production of a wide range of high-quality, pure and sustainable cannabinoids that are not easily accessible through traditional agricultural means. Lygos CBx is a direct result of the recent NIH-funded Librede acquisition and integration of additional Lygos technology advances. The cannabinoids are designed to enhance numerous consumer products, as well as health & wellness and pharmaceutical applications. For more information, visit cbx.lygos.com.

About Lygos

Lygos has created a full-stack biological engineering platform focused on organic acid specialty chemicals and health & wellness ingredients, including cannabinoids and bio-monomers. Lygos’ sustainable, bio-based chemicals replace expensive, environmentally degrading alternatives from traditional industrial suppliers, enabling customers to create better, safer products with value-added performance. For more information, visit www.lygos.com and follow us @LygosBiotech.

Lygos, the Lygos logo, Lygos CBx, and the Lygos CBx logo are trademarks of Lygos, Inc. Any other brands may be trademarks of their respective holders.

References

¹Cascio, M., Gauson, L., Stevenson, L., Ross, R. and Pertwee, R. (2010), Evidence that the plant cannabinoid cannabigerol is a highly potent ?2?adrenoceptor agonist and moderately potent 5HT1A receptor antagonist. British Journal of Pharmacology, 159: 129-141. doi:10.1111/j.1476-5381.2009.00515.x

²Telek A, Bíró T, Bodó E, Tóth BI, Borbíró I, Kunos G, Paus R. Inhibition of human hair follicle growth by endo- and exocannabinoids. FASEB J. 2007 Nov;21(13):3534-41. doi: 10.1096/fj.06-7689com. Epub 2007 Jun 12. PMID: 17567570.

³Navarro, G., Varani, K., Reyes-Resina, I., Sánchez de Medina, V., Rivas-Santisteban, R., Sánchez-Carnerero Callado, C., Vincenzi, F., Casano, S., Ferreiro-Vera, C., Canela, E. I., Borea, P. A., Nadal, X., & Franco, R. (2018). Cannabigerol Action at Cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 Receptors and at CB1-CB2 Heteroreceptor Complexes. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 9, 632. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2018.00632

Contacts

Andrew Noble

(415) 722-2129

andrew_noble@noblecomms.com