Behind 466 Ergothioneine Patents: The Strategic Battle Among Bloomage Bio, Synbio Technologies, Suntory, and GeneIII

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Ergothioneine, the “star ingredient of synthetic biology,” is reaching an inflection point for explosive growth in R&D and industrialization.

VCBeat’s analysis of data from the China National Intellectual Property Administration reveals thatCurrently, China has a total of466ergothioneine-related patents.Since2022Since [year], the number of related patent applications has grown exponentially, covering a wide range of fields from upstream synthetic biology and midstream production processes to downstream applications in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food.

This article systematically reviews the five core R&D directions for ergothioneine and provides an in-depth analysis of the differentiated strategic layouts adopted by key institutions such as Bloomage Biotech, SyncoZymes, and the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, highlighting the technological race and commercial transformation surrounding this “star” ingredient.

In terms of the annual number of patent applications, patent activity related to ergothioneine has evolved from low-level fluctuations to rapid growth. The overall trend can be divided into the following stages:

2006-2014Year: Period of Low-Level Fluctuation

During this period, the number of patent applications was very low, with an average annual application volume of approximately1.67(9Annual Total15件). The maximum value is2014Annual4items, with the minimum value being2007Year and2009Annual0This suggests that ergothioneine was still a relatively niche research area at the time, with limited attention.

2015-2017Year: Initial Growth Phase

2015Annual patent applications jumped to for the first time11piece, relatively2014Annual Growth175%, but in the following two years (2016and year2017year) fell back to3and2items. Such fluctuations may indicate short-term research hotspots or investments by individual companies at the time, but a sustained trend has yet to emerge.

2018-2021Year: Period of Stable Growth

From2018Since [year], the volume of patent applications has entered a phase of steady growth, from2018Annual15items increased to2021annual31cases, doubling over four years. The average annual growth rate was approximately25%, indicating a gradual increase in the research and development activities of ergothioneine, likely due to its expanding applications in cosmetics, health supplements, and other fields.

2022-2025Year: Period of Explosive Growth

2022Annual patent application volume surged to66item (more2021Annual Growth113%），2023Annual Reach101件（增长53%），2024slightly increased to103Items (growth2%), but2025decreased to65件（下降37%). It should be noted that,2024Year and2025Annual data may be incomplete due to publication delays (typically, after a patent application is filed, it takes18...months before being made public), so the actual trend may still be on the rise. The explosive growth during this phase may stem from heightened health awareness following the epidemic, widespread recognition of ergothioneine’s antioxidant properties, and breakthroughs in related technologies.

1. Production Process and Technological Optimization

Ergothioneine can be produced through various methods, including microbial fermentation, chemical synthesis, enzymatic catalysis, and extraction from natural sources (such as edible mushrooms, Ganoderma lucidum spores, and rubber latex whey). Patents frequently describe the construction of high-yield strains (e.g., Escherichia coli, Corynebacterium glutamicum, and Pichia pastoris), optimization of synthetic pathways, improvement of extraction and purification processes (e.g., simulated moving bed chromatography, resin adsorption, and membrane filtration), and development of novel reactors and equipment, all aimed at enhancing yield, purity, and production efficiency.

2. Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Applications

Ergothioneine has been extensively studied for its applications in the pharmaceutical field, encompassing neurological disorders (such as autism, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease), organ protection (including the liver, kidneys, retina, and cochlea), radiation protection, anti-aging, immunomodulation, and the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases. Furthermore, it has shown potential in improving sleep, alleviating menopausal symptoms, and promoting muscle health.

3. Cosmetics and Personal Care

As an antioxidant and anti-aging ingredient, ergothioneine is widely used in skincare products, such as serums, facial masks, eye creams, and sunscreens. Patents frequently mention its formulation with other active ingredients (such as Pro-Xylane, ceramides, and carnosine) to enhance stability, promote absorption, and improve efficacy.

4. Food and Health Supplements

Ergothioneine has been developed as a functional food and dietary supplement for its antioxidant, anti-fatigue, hepatoprotective, gut health-improving, and anti-aging properties. Related patents cover various forms, including oral capsules, beverages, and fermented foods, emphasizing its natural, safe, and highly efficient characteristics.

5. Detection Methods and Stability Studies

To enhance product quality and control, multiple patents focus on detection technologies for ergothioneine (such asHPLC, UV spectrophotometry, non-destructive rapid testing), and strategies for enhancing stability (e.g., inhibiting photodegradation, controlling off-odors, optimizing formulation).

1- Bloomage Biotech: Full Industry Chain, Multi-Dimensional Layout

Bloomage Biotech’s patent portfolio exhibits a clear evolutionary trajectory: from early-stage fermentation production, through mid-stage stability and formulation applications, to recent advances in synthetic biology and the exploration of underlying mechanisms. These technical modules mutually reinforce one another, promising to establish robust technological barriers and synergistic effects.

（1) Upstream technology: A dual-track strategy combining traditional fermentation with modern synthetic biology has been established.

Fungal Fermentation Technology System: Proprietary high-yield strains, such as *Hericium erinaceus* and *Tricholoma matsutake*, are protected by patents, with clearly defined methods for ergothioneine production. This establishes a strain resource barrier, while multiple key process steps are patented to enhance yield, purity, and production efficiency.

Synthetic Biology Technology System: The patent includes a method for producing ergothioneine using genetically engineered bacteria (such as Escherichia coli); it also involves the engineering of key enzymes in the ergothioneine biosynthetic pathway to obtain high-activity enzyme mutants, significantly enhancing the synthesis efficiency of ergothioneine.

（2) Midstream Technology: Overcoming Stability Challenges and Innovating Formula Design

Bloomage Biotech has discovered that hyaluronic acid and trehalose exert excellent stabilizing effects on ergothioneine, effectively inhibiting its photodegradation and thermal degradation. Furthermore, Bloomage Biotech formulates ergothioneine with its core ingredients (such as hyaluronic acid) and other functional components to generate synergistic effects, thereby expanding its application scenarios.

（3) Downstream Applications: Expanding into Diversified, High-Value Market Segments

Bloomage Biotechnology is dedicated to exploring the diverse biological activities of ergothioneine, applying it across multiple high-potential sectors including pharmaceuticals, skincare, and food supplements.

In the Field of Medicine and Health:Bloomage Biotech is exploring the pharmaceutical applications of ergothioneine in the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke, developing gels for the treatment of inflammatory acne and oral ulcer patches to promote healing, as well as investigating the role of ergothioneine in preventing or inhibiting acetaldehyde-induced cellular damage.

Skincare and Beauty Sector (Core Applications):Bloomage Biotech’s recent patents are no longer confined to traditional antioxidant effects; instead, they aim to demonstrate at the cellular and molecular level that ergothioneine can inhibit skin fibrosis and to verify its ability to promoteIIItype collagen production. Meanwhile, we are developing a formulation containing ergothioneine, fermented rice filtrate, and N-acetylglucosamine to protect the skin from blue light damage. Our product portfolio features diverse formats, including serums, facial masks, gels, and cosmetic essences.

Foods, Health Supplements, and Cross-Industry Applications:We are developing Hericium erinaceus health supplements containing ergothioneine, as well as functional foods that boost immunity and improve sleep; exploring the use of ergothioneine to promote probiotic growth and serve as a protective agent for strain preservation. We have even launched blind-box figurines and packaging themed around “ergothioneine,” reflecting the brand’sIPCommercialization and Market Education Initiatives.

2- Zhongke Xinyang: Focusing on the Optimization and Innovation of Biomanufacturing Pathways

Synthetic Biology and the Construction of Genetically Engineered Bacterial Strains:Not only were high-efficiency engineered strains constructed in Escherichia coli, but heterologous synthesis of ergothioneine was also successfully achieved in Corynebacterium glutamicum and Trichoderma reesei, demonstrating its capability for chassis cell development across different hosts; it is dedicated to mining and optimizing ergothioneine biosynthetic gene clusters from diverse microorganisms (such as Rhizopus nigricans, Deinococcus radiodurans, etc.).

Innovation in High-Throughput Screening Technologies and Methods:The company has strategically established a high-throughput screening platform based on droplet microfluidics and riboswitch technologies, enabling rapid and precise identification of high-yield strains from vast mutant libraries to accelerate the iterative evolution of microbial strains.

Enzymatic SynthesisPath:In addition to whole-cell fermentation, a biosynthetic route using enzymatic catalysis has been developed, which involves the expression and application of crude ergothioneine synthase to catalyze substrate conversion into ergothioneine. This method offers advantages such as simplified composition and ease of purification, providing an alternative technical pathway for production.

Key Process Breakthroughs:Focusing on Separation, Purification, and Cost Control. After obtaining fermentation broth or enzyme-catalyzed products, efficient separation and purification are key to determining the cost and quality of the final product. Syncozymes has implemented an in-depth and meticulous patent layout in this area.

Product Applications and Innovation:After integrating the upstream production chain, SyncoZymes extended its patents to downstream applications. However, its application innovations are closely aligned with its technological strengths, focusing on addressing the inherent application challenges of ergothioneine, including dosage form innovation and stability solutions.

In terms of specific consumer application scenarios, SyncoZymes’ patents cover the skincare and personal care sectors, including niche areas such as gel-based intimate care films. In the food and health supplement sector, the company has developed ergothioneine-rich functional beverages, concentrated fruit jams, and compound health supplements with anti-fatigue, antioxidant, and hangover-relief properties.

3、Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences: A Complete Technology Chain Continuously Extending Toward the High End

The patent layout of Tiangong Institute and its partner enterprises in the field of ergothioneine spans a time period from2011Aged2025years, encompassing multiple technical aspects ranging from basic preparation and detection methods to the construction of high-yield genetically engineered bacterial strains, thereby demonstrating strong systematicity and a complete technological chain.

Tiangong Institute’s technological development in the field of ergothioneine exhibits a clear evolutionary trajectory: from the early stage (2011-2013years) focused on detection methods and natural extraction processes, gradually developing into the mid-term (2014-2015years) on the optimization of fermentation preparation and extraction purification processes, and entered the recent period (2022-2025year) with a deep strategic layout centered on synthetic biology.

Its R&D focus has shifted from basic strain selection and screening to cutting-edge biotechnologies, including the construction of heterologous synthesis systems, engineering of transcriptional regulators, and development of high-efficiency engineered strains. This transition has systematically enabled a leap from traditional preparation methods to modern biomanufacturing, resulting in a complete technology chain that continues to extend toward high-end applications.

4Suntory Holdings Ltd.: Clear Application Orientation+Formula Innovation

Suntory’s patent portfolio is highly focused on expanding and protecting health-related functional applications. The patents clearly center on the application of ergothioneine in specific physiological functions, forming a cluster of functional composition patents focused on sleep improvement, relief of menopausal symptoms, vasodilation, inhibition of muscle atrophy, and the prevention and amelioration of heatstroke or dehydration. This reflects Suntory’s strategic direction to develop ergothioneine into a functional ingredient tailored to different consumer groups and designed to address specific health concerns.

Secondly, since2022Since [year], Suntory has intensively filed multiple patents, focusing on addressing the inherent bitterness of ergothioneine and the complex off-flavors arising from its combination with other functional ingredients. By precisely defining the ratio of ergothioneine to various bitter-tasting/Specific ratios among odor masking agents.

5- South China Agricultural University: Upstream Discovery of Biosynthetic Elements and Construction of Engineered Strains

The core of South China Agricultural University’s strategic layout lies in the discovery of upstream biosynthetic elements and the construction of engineered bacterial strains. The research team systematically cloned and identified key ergothioneine synthase genes from various macrofungi, achieved their heterologous expression in model microorganisms such as Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and verified their functionality. In recent years, the research has further expanded to non-traditional production hosts, such as Sphingomonas, and has increased yield through gene overexpression strategies, demonstrating the depth and breadth of its efforts to expand the ergothioneine biosynthetic pathway at the synthetic biology level.

Secondly, its layout closely revolves around downstream preparation processes and end-product development. Based on the acquisition of high-yield strains or synthetic elements, the team has laid out a series of patents covering efficient extraction and purification methods, rapid high-throughput detection technologies, and specific end products. Notably, its latest research also extends the application of ergothioneine to the field of probiotic fermentation, using it as an antioxidant to improve*Bacillus coagulans*of the count of viable fermented bacteria.

6• Jin San Bio: Guided by end-product development and extending upstream into key manufacturing technologies

Jinsan Biotechnology’s core strategic focus lies in the formulation and application of diverse end-user products. The company has intensively developed a wide range of ergothioneine-containing compositions spanning the fields of cosmetics, health supplements, and pharmaceutical technologies. Specific product forms include eye care formulations, anti-hair loss and oil-control formulations, anti-itch, soothing, and repair formulations, as well as health supplements with sleep-promoting, whitening, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory benefits. The core of these patents resides in combining ergothioneine with taurine, sodium hyaluronate, Platycladus orientalis leaf extract,Collagen Peptides...and other specific functional ingredients are synergistically formulated, demonstrating clear market-application-driven characteristics.

Secondly, to support its product development, Sanjiang Biotech has made strategic investments in upstream raw material production and processing technologies. This includes mixed-strain fermentation methods designed to enhance production efficiency and quality, as well as innovative separation and extraction technologies for ergothioneine.

Of particular importance, Jinsan Biotechnology has focused on addressing the inherent defects of raw materials by developing a novel crystal form of ergothioneine with low odor and high stability, along with its preparation method. This innovation directly tackles the sensory and stability bottlenecks that ergothioneine may encounter in end-product applications. Furthermore, Jinsan Biotechnology has proactively explored the application of ergothioneine in the emerging field of cell culture.

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