Post Title. 07/12/2010
History of Baltic Collagen Every great and historic product tends to begin prosaically, with the majority of the significant inventions having been determined by coincidence. In the 1990s a team of scientists from the Institute of Chemistry in Gdansk (Poland) were in rather modest conditions, working on benefits beyond the field of cosmetology from collagen obtained from extracts of fish skins. This collagen had a structure of an amino - acid chain perfectly compatible to that of humans. However, it was not yet a sensational creation. Collagen obtained from the skin of cattle and later from the skin of fish had been used for a long time worldwide in cosmetic implants, self-dissolving stitches, vessel prostheses, compresses and as an ingredient in ointments for scalds, scars and stretch mark treatments. Cosmetic companies have been investing millions of dollars into the research of obtaining collagen for 30 years. Such collagen was an ingredient usually of the most expensive and the most advertised face creams, gels, face conditioners and face masks. As a follow up, in the search for biologically active collagen they discovered a filtration method through a patented modification of technology, which involves a protein material, chemically very similar to collagen and does not break the fragile protein chain supported by a hydrogen bond. This was the birth of the greatest Polish chemical discovery since the time of protein extraction from Antarctic krill ( which actually was never used ). Collagen obtained through this method retained its crystalline structure of amino acids which is identical to the so called "triple helix" in human skin. It meant opening the route to restoring protein, whose shortage caused ageing to the skin. In other words it actually demonstrates the capability of reducing wrinkles. The world of science was stirred by this new discovery. Collagen retaining its triple helix arrangement was a sensational discovery, but only in the sphere of specialists. The only problem was its perish ability at high temperatures. This problem was crucial for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies who wished to obtain exclusive rights to the first medicine in the world that possessed skin-repair properties. Nevertheless, they were not seriously interested in it as long as it was prone to go through the process in which the structure of the protein changed irreversibly, losing the triple helix formation at room temperature. Despite this fact, some Polish entrepreneurs from the north of Poland launched a collagen preparation onto the market as early as 2002 - 2003. Still, it had to either be transported and kept in cold storage or packed into huge polystyrene foam flasks that were not efficient in the summer. A turning point, which from the commercial point of view was comparable with the discovery of natural collagen itself, was a development by technicians from a newly created modification of technology patent. This new formulation enabled the products to be stored, transported and used at room temperature (i.e., 22 centigrade, and soon up to above 26 centigrade) without losing the triple helix in which it is arranged, and the most valuable properties. Before this achievement, the world's perspective on collagen preparations was quiet. The clinical analyses conducted in 2001 and 2002 simultaneously in the USA, Canada, France, Kuwait and Ukraine indisputably confirmed the significance of the invention, yet had reservations that the collagen preparation only displayed biological activity and effectiveness in temperature limits between 5 and 15 centigrade. A new company--Baltic Collagen inc.--used the situation of extending negotiations between the worlds tycoons and the producer who was the most advanced in the creation of the latest stable commercial formula. It was the last position in the tender for the rights to the exclusive trade mission of the Baltic Collagen product line, which was coming into existence. Entrusted by thousands of consumers nationwide, Baltic Collagen is no ordinary cosmetic. It is a living, biochemically active protein, which strives to unify with the protein fibers of the user's skin. It is the chance to make one of the oldest dreams of humankind--retaining youth--come true. |