GAMMA POLYGLUTAMIC ACID MARKET ANALYSIS

Polyglutamic acid is a bipolymer of the amino acid glutamic acid. In gamma polyglutamic acid, peptide bonds are between amino group of glutamic acid and the carboxyl group at the end of the glutamic acid side chain. It is formed by bacterial fermentation by Bacillus subtilis using glutamic acid and is a major constituent of the Japanese food, natto. Gamma polyglutamic acid has wide range of applications from food, medicine to water treatment. It has non-toxic, edible, film-forming, adhesive, and moisture retention properties and can be used as drug carrier and bio-adhesive material. Gamma polyglutamic acid has been widely used in pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food, agriculture, and sewage treatment industries.

Gamma polyglutamic acid is used in agriculture industry for increasing quality and quantity of plants, for soil improvement, and seed-coat, and to enhance fertilizer utilization. It can be made into hydrogel, which has an excellent water-binding ability, and can absorb water up to 3,500 times of its weight. Hence, it proves itself as excellent for agricultural and environmental applications.

Good water solubility, strong water retention, smooth to skin, and non-greasy properties of gamma polyglutamic acid make it appropriate for application in the cosmetics industry. It is used in hygiene products such as baby diapers and women’s tampons as an absorbent.

Such multiple applications of gamma polyglutamic acid are expected to aid in growth of the gamma polyglutamic acid market size across the globe.

Market Dynamics

• Major driver for gamma polyglutamic acid market growth is high demand from the pharmaceutical industries. This is increasingly being used as a drug delivery system in cancer treatment. The research is underway for its application in a treatment of type I diabetes and its potential use in the production of an AIDS vaccine. Gamma polyglutamic acid vectors are useful for effective and safe gene therapy. It facilitates calcium absorption and hence, is useful in osteoporosis cases. It is also used as drug release carrier and hemostatic agent. Such factors are creating conductive environment for growth of the market.
• Favorable growth of the pharmaceutical industry is projected to aid in growth of the gamma polyglutamic acid market. According to Hardman and Co., in 2016, global pharmaceuticals market was valued at US$ 816 billion. Rising demand for medicines and investments of companies in research and development to invent new drugs are expected to drive growth of the global demand of gamma polyglutamic acid.
• Gamma polyglutamic acid is a natural product with longer moisture retention properties and maintains skin elasticity for more time. These products include Bio PGA, PGA Dual Moist, Twainmoist. Skin whitening, anti-wrinkle properties, and inhibition to melanin production are some of the characteristics of gamma polyglutamic acid fueling its demand for application in the cosmetics sector.

Market Outlook

• According to Coherent Market Insights (CMI) for global gamma polyglutamic acid market analysis, North America held the dominant position in the market in 2017 and it is projected to maintain its dominance throughout the forecast period. This is owing to higher presence of key cosmetics and drug manufacturers in the region such as Abbott, Pfizer, Revlon, Estée Lauder .
• Gamma polyglutamic acid is witnessing high application in wastewater treatment and in food products. This is due to its properties such as heavy metal absorbent, chelating, and flocculation. Therefore, it is widely used in wastewater treatment. It is also used as a diet fiber in health food supplement, a thickener or stabilizer in food product as well as an animal feed supplement. Furthermore, polyglutamic acid has flavor enhancing characteristics on potassium salt and is therefore used in making low-sodium food products

Key players in Global Gamma Polyglutamic Acid Market

• Key players operating in the global gamma polyglutamic acid are Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Meiji Seika Pharma Co. Ltd, VEDAN International (Holdings) Limited, Shandong Freda Biotechnology Co., Ltd.,  Nanjing Sai Taisi Biotechnology Co., Ltd., and Shineking Biological.

Key developments

• Key players operating in the global gamma polyglutamic acid market are focusing on different strategies such as launching new products, merger and acquisition, in order to gain a competitive advantage in the market.
• For instance, in May 2017, Ajinomoto Co., Inc. launched a series of products with low sodium. These low-sodium foods are listed on the webpage of The Japanese Society of Hypertension, and 147 of the 156 products listed contain polyglutamic acid.

Market Taxonomy

On the basis of grade, global gamma polyglutamic acid market is segmented into:

• Food grade
• Feed grade
• Pharmaceutical grade

On the basis of application, global gamma polyglutamic acid market is segmented into:

• Food
• Feed
• Cosmetics
• Agriculture
• Others

On the basis of region global gamma polyglutamic acid market is segmented into:

• North America
• U.S.
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
  • U.K.
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • France
  • Russia
  • Spain
  • Rest of Europe
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • ASEAN
  • Australia
  • Rest of Asia Pacific
• South America
  • Brazil
  • Argentina
  • Rest of South America
• Middle East & Africa