Clariant has formed a strategic partnership with Plant Advanced Technologies (PAT), which will see the Swiss group take a stake of around 10% in the French plant biotech company. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The venture will combine PAT’s research strengths in discovering and producing compounds from plant roots with Clariant’s expertise in claim substantiation, marketing and sales.

“We are excited to further improve our offer to the personal care market through this new investment that reflects Clariant’s on-going commitment to a more sustainable industry,” ssaid Hans Bohnen, member of Clariant’s executive committee. “The partnership with PAT drives this commitment further and will provide our customers with best choices in the field of active ingredients.”

PAT develops plant-based rare active ingredients for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical and agrochemicals markets. The company has two proprietary technologies – plant milking (extraction) and target binding.

Its plant milking technology allows plant cultivation in aeroponic and optimized conditions. Harvesting occurs several times a year and the plants are not destroyed: the roots can regrow almost indefinitely. PAT said more concentrated and more active extracts are produced through plant stimulation and gentle living-root exudation, while preserving the plants.

The target binding technology identifies the active compounds in complex mixtures. It does this by finding the ligands that bind to the protein targets of interest, such as enzymes. PAT said it developed the technology as a “quick and easy” alternative to the “time-consuming and laborious” bioassay-guided fractionation.

Christian Vang, global head of Clariant’s business unit Industrial & Consumer Care, added that the deal with PAT complements its other partnerships and enhances its portfolio with “powerful, traceable and more sustainable offerings.  “We will provide premium active ingredients to the cosmetic market through a monitored and controlled process that explores the most difficult-to-access and richest parts of plants: the roots,” he said.