China's NCI Approval Updates: Marine Actives, Peptides, and Plant Callus Extracts

Publication date：2025-09-29

From September 19 to 29, 2025, 3 new cosmetic ingredients were notified with the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).

The technical requirements for the 3 new cosmetic ingredients mentioned above have not been disclosed, and they have not yet entered the safety monitoring period.

sr-Mussel Polypeptide-4

sr-Mussel Polypeptide-4 comes from the "soft gold of the ocean" — mussel adhesive protein, prized for its remarkable adhesion, repair and biodegradability. It helps soothe and protect the skin. Unlike the traditional method, which requires 10,000 mussels to extract just 1 gram of adhesive protein through a time-consuming process, sr-Mussel Polypeptide-4 is produced using biotechnology. This not only preserves the natural benefits of the protein but also improves its purity and safety.

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-17

In recent years, peptide ingredients modified with acetyl, palmitoyl, or caffeoyl groups have been increasingly used in cosmetics, as such modifications improve structural stability and enhance efficacy on human skin within formulation systems.

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-17 is produced through the reaction of palmitic acid (q.v.) with pentapeptide-17 (q.v.). According to PCPC, its reported function is Skin Conditioning Agent – Miscellaneous.

Since 2021, Winkey Technology (including its subsidiaries), one of China's leading ingredient manufacturers, has completed 21 new cosmetic ingredient (NCI) notifications—ranking first in China by number of NCI submissions.

Saussurea Involucrata Callus Extract

Saussurea involucrata, commonly known as He Lian or Snow Lotus, is a species of the genus Saussurea in the family Asteraceae. It is distributed in Xinjiang, China, typically growing on mountain slopes, valleys, rock crevices, riverbanks, and meadows at altitudes of 2,400–3,470 meters. The plant is also found in Russia and Kazakhstan. Snow Lotus is a rare alpine plant valued for its medicinal properties.

Callus is a type of parenchyma tissue, referring to newly formed cells that develop on the wound surface of a plant in response to injury. In plant tissue culture, callus refers to proliferative cell masses derived from explants on artificial media, which regain a meristematic state and possess potential cellular totipotency. Callus culture plays an important role in the large-scale, industrial production of active plant cell constituents.

Since 2021, six plant callus–derived ingredients have completed notification procedures. The specific ingredients are shown in the figure below:

The notifier, S'YOUNG Group, China's first listed internet-based consumer goods company, owns leading skincare brands such as UNIFON, MIHOO, BIGDROP and VAA. Through its CP (China Partner) model, S'YOUNG International provides digital-driven, full-lifecycle solutions to help global beauty brands grow in China and build long-term, win–win partnerships.