Discovery of 2-Mercaptonicotinoyl Glycine. A new potent brightening agent for hyperpigmentation management, exhibiting a low environmental impact.

A. Prévot Guéguiniat, P. Sextius, G. Lereaux, E. Warrick, S. Ben Hassine, L. Baux, J. Qiu, S. Grégoire, S. Ito, K. Wakamatsu, J. Xu, X. Marat

INTRODUCTION

Research of brightening agents is an important but difficult task due to multi parameter considerations. An innovative methodolo gy is described, based notably on high throughput screening test (HTS), in silico method predicting physico chemical properties and environmental profile , and highly physiologic pigmented biological models, which led to the discovery of 2 mercaptonicotinoyl glycine (2 MNG). Their capacity to inhibit melanin production via top ical application on 3D pigmented reconstructed epidermis was superior to 4 n butylresorcinol, a tyrosinase inhibitor chosen as a reference on the market.