DIC Develops New SACRANEX™ Powder for Use in Cosmetics Products —Boasts enhanced suitability for skincare formulations; sales are scheduled to begin in June 2026—

Tokyo, Japan—DIC Corporation today announced the development of SACRANEX™ Powder, a new powdered material for use primarily in skincare products. This new product is a modified version of the high-molecular-weight polysaccharide SACRANEX™, which is extracted from indoor-cultivated Suizenji nori (scientific name: Aphanothece sacrum), a freshwater blue-green algae indigenous to Japan. SACRANEX Powder provides cosmetics manufacturers with this high-performance algae-derived material in a more user-friendly form, helping to address the growing demand for formulations for sensitive skin and for clean beauty products, as well as to reduce environmental impact during transportation. Global sales are scheduled to begin this month.

SACRANEX is a high-molecular-weight polysaccharide derived from Suizenji nori, an edible freshwater blue-green algae indigenous to Japan, that is commercially cultivated indoors. DIC leveraged algae cultivation and functional extraction technologies honed over half a century in the Spirulina business to establish the world’s first indoor mass cultivation process for Suizenji nori for the production of SACRANEX. This process made it possible to ensure stable supplies of rare Suizenji nori extracts, while at the same time contributing to the protection of local ecosystems and biodiversity. SACRANEX delivers excellent moisture-retention properties and protects the skin from external stimuli that can lead to issues such as dryness and roughness.

Nonetheless, there has been increased demand from the cosmetics industry in recent years for greater workability in compounding, as well as for improved handling during processing. To meet these needs, the Company developed SACRANEX Powder, a new powder form of this material that capitalizes on the unique performance characteristics of the original microfiber-form SACRANEX. Compared with its predecessor, SACRANEX Powder significantly increases flexibility in formulation design, facilitating the creation of a wider variety of products.

With the launch of SACRANEX Powder, scheduled for June 2026, DIC aims to expand the range of applications for SACRANEX in cosmetics products, particularly skincare, as well as to reinforce its ability to offer solutions to an expanded customer base. SACRANEX Powder was showcased in March this year at PCHi 2026—a personal care and homecare ingredients exhibition in the People’s Republic of China (PRC)—through local sales partner DKSH Performance Materials China Ltd., where it won a Silver Award in the Moisturizing/Hydrating category at the 2026 PCHi Fountain Awards for its innovative functionality. Building on the opportunity provided by this prestigious accolade, DIC intends to bolster brand awareness and to promote the adoption of SACRANEX Powder in markets around the world, including the PRC.

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