Cyanotech To Receive Patent for Astaxanthin and Sun Protection

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii--Cyanotech Corp. received a notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (www.uspto.gov) stating that it would issue a patent soon to Cyanotech covering the use of natural and synthetic astaxanthin, in both oral and topical applications, as a single active ingredient to retard and prevent sunburn.

Cyanotech filed the sunburn patent in April 2000 after a preliminary study by the company indicated that 2 to 4 mg/d of natural astaxanthin taken orally for 10 to 14 days prior to sun exposure reduced the incidence and degree of sunburn.

"Products acting to retard or prevent sunburn comprise a market estimated at more than $500 million annually," said Gerald Cysewski, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Cyanotech (www.cyanotech.com). "The potential of BioAstin® [one of the company's natural astaxanthin products] in both topical and oral sunscreen applications may prove to be significant . Three European companies are now selling or developing oral or topical sunscreen products using BioAstin."

This is the company's third patent. The two earlier patents covered the use of astaxanthin to treat fever blisters and canker sores (#6,344,214), and for retarding and ameliorating carpal tunnel syndrome (#6,258,855).