US 12,514,797 B2; Northeastern University, Boston, MA, was awarded a patent for sun-protectant composition with a SPF of 2-30 that contains a combination of an antioxidant or UV filter; isolated, unencapsulated xanthommatin aggregates to scavenge free-radicals; and a colorant for appearance.

The compositions, designed for cosmetic and dermatological applications, offer improved hiding power, improved dispersion ability and improved weather durability, and can impart luminosity and diffuse reflectance of light while still being stable when excited by all wavelengths of solar light, according to the patent documentation. Further, they can provide improved solar protection, including protection from infrared radiation and visible light, and/or suppression of ROS formation as well as provide color and color tunability in response to pH and electrochemical (or chemical redox) triggers.

Northeastern Associate Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Leila Deravi, Camille A. Martin and Amrita Kumar are credited with the work.

Martin, who now holds a PhD in chemistry from Northeastern University, and Deravi are co-founders of Seaspire, an ingredients company inspired by xanthommatin, the naturally occurring pigment found in arthropods and cephalopods like octopus and squid.

In 2024, Deravi and Martin, and a third scientist from Seaspire, published “Using cephalopod-inspired chemistry to extend long-wavelength ultraviolet and visible light protection of mineral sunscreens,” in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science.

Martin and Seaspire Skincare participated in the 2023 Sephora Accelerate Cohort.

The patented invention was developed with government support under a grant from the Army Research Office; the government has certain rights in the invention.