Germany’s Evonik is strengthening its portfolio of specialty active ingredients with an agreement to purchase French start-up company Alkion Biopharma for an undisclosed sum. Headquartered in Evry, Alkion specializes in developing biotechnological active ingredients for the cosmetics industry. The company has developed methods to cultivate plant biomass under laboratory conditions and can obtain extracts with an exceptionally high yield of complex ingredients.

The entire process takes place without altering the plant genome and results, said Franck Michoux, Alkion’s founder and CEO, in unique, innovative cosmetic actives. With this acquisition, Evonik can now offer customers highly effective customized plant-based ingredients and product concepts that set themselves apart from competitors, said Tammo Boinowitz, head of Evonik’s personal care business.

The transaction is due to be completed this month. Alkion was originally founded as a spin-off from Imperial College London in 2011.