Zonase X™ – The Natural Exfoliant

Zonase X™ is the flagship product of ABT. Zonase X™ gently removes the dead cells in the outer layer of the skin, initiating and accelerating the renewal and healing process of the skin. Derived from the hatching fluid of salmon, Zonase X™ is a safe cosmetic ingredient from natural marine sources.

Zonase X™ provides safe and effective exfoliation of skin without the inflammations often associated with acids used today in cosmetics.

Zonase X™ - the history

The effects of Zonase™ on human skin were discovered by coincidence. Salmon hatchery workers reported that the skin on their hands became soft and felt smooth when they exposed them to the ice-cold hatching fluid from salmon. This was totally unexpected as swollen, red and chapped skin is the normal status of hands after prolonged exposure to cold water.

The curious scientists wanted to find the explanation for the smooth skin. They investigated it further and found Zonase™. Zonase™ is an Enzyme, which helps the fish embryo getting out of its eggshell. The eggshells are made as a tough, fibrous protein structure, and the fish larva is not able to get out by using mechanical power. Zonase™ helps to digest the eggshell without harming the larva, and thereby allowing the fish to be born.

This natural and elegant process combining “rough” digestion of the dead tissue in the eggshell with preservation of the living larvae is also the key in our effective and gentle skin treatment.

In order for our skin to regenerate, we need to remove the dead outer layer of our skin. This principle of stimulating new skin renewal has been utilized in skin care regimes for centuries. However, this has often been done with either harsh mechanical processes or chemical ingredients, which also harm the skin.

The nature is more intelligent. Zonase™ only digests the links between the dead skin cells, leaving the living cells untouched. The effect from Zonase™ is therefore highly selective, very gentle and efficient.

Zonase™ is an exceptional stable protein with a shelf life in products measured in years. In contrast to the promiscuous exfoliation by acids, exfoliation with Zonase™ is very specific and gentle, rendering comparable results to acid exfoliation, and without leaving the inflamed skin seen with acid -based exfoliants.

Zonase™ accelerates the normal detachment of dead and flattened keratinocytes from the outer surface of human skin. This process known as exfoliations, speeds up the natural occurring skin renewal process, resulting in a rejuvenated, smooth and healthy skin.

Zonase™ is approved by European (DK, NO) health regulatory authorities for use in cosmetics, and has been used in the skincare brands Zona and Kilda Skindiver in the Scandinavian market for several years. Zona is a mild exfoliation enhancing cream containing Zonase™ addressing a wide array of skin problems.

Kilda Skindiver is a rejuvenating cream aimed at the beauty segment. In 2007 Zona was voted the best skin care product in Finland, and Kilda Skindiver was voted best beauty product by the Swedish magazine Femina.

Zonase X™ works well in a range of different pH's, it is stable for years and provides an alternative to acid exfoliation, without the adverse effects associated with such treatment.

pH optimum Zonase X™
In vitro testing show that the optimum pH for Zonase X™ is around pH 7.5, however the Zonase X™ is provided in a solution where it is still active at pH as low as 5.0  (ABT research study:  pH optimum Zonase X™).

Zonase X™ stability
Zonase X™ in a basic water lipid emulsion cream base Zonase X™ is proven to be stable and active for at least 3 years when stored in sealed containers at room-temperature (ABT research study: Zonase X™ stability in a water-lipid cream base).

Relative Exfoliation Potency Zonase X™
In vitro testing on Reconstructed Human Epidermis shows exfoliation potency for Zonase X™ comparable to 1 hour exposure to commonly used α- and β- hydroxy acids (Glycolic acid, Lactic acid and Salicylic acid) within 24 – 48 hours of exposure. In contrast to the acids, Zonase X™ does not attack living tissue and does not require to be removed or inactivated like the acid counterparts  (ABT research study: Acids vs. Zonase™: Comparing Relative Exfoliation Potencies).

NON-allergenic
Zonase™ has been shown to be non-allergenic in single exposure, as well as in repeated exposure tests on human volunteers.

In order to meet our rigid safety regime Zonase X™ was tested in a highly purified form, up to 2600 times more potent than the Zonase X™ found in cosmetic products sold today. The following safety tests correspond nicely with what is observed in nature, and essentially no adverse effects are observed.

AMES test Zonase X™ (Vivotecnia)
A Bacterial Reverse Mutation Test (AMES test) was preformed by Vivotecnia to establish whether Zonase X™ was mutagenic or pro-mutagenic. Under the test conditions in this test Zonase X™ was found to be non mutagenic and non-promutagenic (Vivotecnia study report: Final Report AMES test).

Cytotoxicity test Zonase X™ on human keratinocytes (Eurofins laboratories)
A cytotoxicity test performed by Eurofins laboratories established that Zonase X™ is non-cytotoxic to human kerationocytes after 6 and 24 hours of incubation (Eurofins study report: Evaluation of the cytotoxicity on normal human keratinocytes).

HRIPT (Marzulli-Maibach) sensitization test Zonase X™ (Eurofins laboratories)
100 persons where subjected to a HRIPT sensitization test. The study was blinded and performed by Eurofins laboratories over the course of 6 weeks.  Zonase X™ was found to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing (Eurofins study report: Sensitizing potential study of a product “Zonase X™” according to Marzulli-Maibach method, on 100 subjects during 6 weeks).    

Single patch test Zonase X™ (Eurofins laboratories)
In order to assess the local epicutaneous tolerance of Zonase X™ in healthy adults, a Single patch test was performed by Eurofins laboratories. The duration from the application of Zonase X™ until the final reading was 48 hours. The study concluded that Zonase X™ in this highly concentrated form only can be considered as very slightly irritant regarding its primary cutaneous tolerance (Eurofins study report: Assessment of skin tolerance of a cosmetic product (Zonase X™) after single application under occlusive patch for 48 hours: patch test method).

Het-Cam test Zonase X™ (Eurofins laboratories)
To explore further safety aspect regarding Zonase X™ a HET CAM test was performed by Eurofins laboratories. The HET CAM test concluded that Zonase X™ in this highly concentrated form is only slightly irritant, which is unusual for this category of products (Eurofins study report: Evaluation of the potential irritancy of a product through application on the chorioallantoic membrane of chicken eggshell: Het Cam Method).