UMAMI Bioworks Launches Marine Bioactives Platform with Cosmetic-Grade PDRN

By Agroempresario.com

UMAMI Bioworks, a Singapore-based startup specializing in cultivated seafood, has expanded its cell cultivation platform to produce marine bioactives, starting with Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN), a high-value ingredient used in skincare, wound healing, and regenerative medicine. Traditionally extracted from salmon sperm, PDRN has faced supply consistency issues, ethical concerns, and biosecurity risks, which UMAMI aims to resolve by producing cosmetic-grade PDRN in a bioreactor, bypassing the need for animals.

According to Gayathri Mani, Product Manager at UMAMI Bioworks, the global PDRN market is experiencing rapid growth, especially in Asia-Pacific, driven by demand in regenerative medicine, aesthetics, and high-performance skincare. “Ethical, scalable, and consistent production will remove supply bottlenecks, reduce reliance on animal harvest, and allow entry into new geographies and product categories,” Mani said.

The company expects commercial-ready cosmetic-grade PDRN to be available for partners by the fourth quarter, with additional marine bioactives to follow. The near-term advantage, Mani explained, is supply stability, traceability, and batch-to-batch consistency, essential for premium formulations. As production scales, costs are projected to be competitive with animal-derived PDRN, enabling UMAMI to expand the market while remaining price competitive.

UMAMI’s production process leverages its expertise in cultivated seafood. Proprietary marine cell lines are grown under controlled conditions, followed by nucleic acid extraction and purification to meet stringent quality standards. The company has already secured contract manufacturing and extraction partners to handle early production volumes.

From a regulatory perspective, Mani clarified that cosmetic bioactives are regulated differently across major markets. In South Korea, pre-market notification is required, whereas Japan differentiates between regular cosmetics and quasi-drugs, which require rigorous approvals. UMAMI works closely with partners to align regulatory strategies with product positioning and claims.

The company also maintains demo-scale facilities in Singapore and Malaysia, ensuring alignment with local partners’ strategic priorities. Regulatory approvals for cultivated white fish for pet food in Europe have already been obtained, while submissions for cultivated seafood for human consumption are underway in Singapore, with other jurisdictions to follow.

In addition to bioactives, UMAMI is advancing a multiplex nucleic acid-based pathogen testing platform for aquaculture. The tool, currently in validation, aims to help producers detect and mitigate health issues early, improving sustainability and reducing losses.

UMAMI’s strategy prioritizes resources where near-term commercial traction is possible, focusing on high-demand products such as PDRN and other marine bioactives, while simultaneously growing its core cultivated seafood programs. Mani emphasized, “We focus resources where we can create near-term commercial traction while building long-term platform value.”

The company’s expansion into marine bioactives represents a key step toward addressing global demand for sustainable, ethical, and consistent cosmetic ingredients. By leveraging cultivated cell technology, UMAMI Bioworks aims to unlock new markets, reduce environmental impacts, and provide high-quality ingredients that meet the growing demand for ethical skincare and regenerative medicine solutions.