What CIRCE Scientific does

CIRCE Scientific, now operating commercially as CIRCE Health Science, is a Spanish biotech startup founded in 2012 and headquartered in Mallorca's Balearic Islands. The company specializes in cocrystallization — a proprietary crystal engineering approach that combines active nutraceutical and pharmaceutical compounds to enhance bioavailability, stability, and therapeutic efficacy. Its commercial portfolio comprises six registered trademarked ingredients built on this platform: Pterovita® and Pteroplex® for longevity and functional food applications, Pteroyouth® for dermocosmetics, CareSterol™ (beta-sitosterol) for body health, Ubiquinol™ (CoQ10) for cellular energy applications, and PteroVet™ for animal health. The underlying technology is protected by 50+ patents covering crystal engineering methods and ingredient combinations.

The company operates a B2B model targeting manufacturers of dietary supplements, functional foods, cosmetics, and animal care products. Revenue is generated through two streams: licensing and sale of patented ingredient products to manufacturers, and professional formulation co-development services that take partner concepts from ideation through to market-ready product. Distribution combines direct enterprise sales with a referenced distributor network serving global markets, and pricing is tailored rather than publicly disclosed.

CIRCE has remained capital-efficient at a small scale, employing 1-10 people. Funding has come primarily from Spanish and EU public innovation programs (Ministry of Science and Innovation's Innovative SME qualification, ENISA, CDTI, EU Next Generation funds, FEDER, GOIB) plus a €1.7 million capital increase completed in February 2023 from current and new shareholders. The company has accumulated multiple innovation awards across food tech, beauty, healthcare, and regional Balearic Islands categories in 2024-2025, and is actively pursuing geographic expansion — particularly a US launch of its flagship PTEROVITA ingredient alongside broader European and Asian market entry through partnerships and clinical studies.

Name

CIRCE Scientific

Legal name

CIRCE Health Science

Website

https://circescientific.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CIRCE Scientific (CIRCE Health Science) is a Spanish biotech startup that licenses and co-develops patented cocrystallization-based nutraceutical and cosmetic ingredients — including Pterovita, Pteroyouth, CareSterol, Ubiquinol, and PteroVet — for B2B manufacturers of supplements, functional foods, cosmetics, and animal care products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nutraceutical Ingredients

NAICS

Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411)

SIC

Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Ingredient Blends & Systems / Custom Formulation (Seasoning Systems, Functional Blends) (CRADAOAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Healthy Aging & Cognitive Support Supplements (CRADAGAM), Herbal & Botanical Supplements (CRADAGAD), Manufacturing, Private Label & Co-Manufacturing for Animal Diets (HLAMAHAO)

Keywords

• Nutraceutical ingredients
• Biotech ingredients
• Cocrystallization technology
• Dermocosmetic actives
• Healthy aging supplements

Headquarters

HQ city

Mallorca

HQ country

Philippines

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Ingredient Licensing and Sales: Sale and licensing of patented ingredient products including Pterovita®, Pteroyouth®, CareSterol™, Ubiquinol™, and PteroVet™ to manufacturers of supplements, cosmetics, functional foods, and animal care products.
2. Formulation Development Services: Co-creation and development of differentiated formulations with B2B partners, providing full development support from concept to final market-ready product solution.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CIRCE Scientific develops, patents, and sells a portfolio of cocrystallized nutraceutical, dermocosmetic, and animal-health ingredients (Pterovita, Pteroyouth, CareSterol, Ubiquinol, PteroVet, Pteroplex) to B2B manufacturers. The company also co-creates differentiated formulations with partners, providing full development support from concept to market-ready product, with technology protected by 50+ patents.

Product overview

CIRCE Scientific (operating as CIRCE Health Science) is a biotech company specializing in patented nutraceutical ingredients and dermocosmetics. The company offers a portfolio of proprietary ingredients enhanced through cocrystallization technology: Pterovita® and Pteroyouth® (for body and skin applications), CareSterol™ (beta-Sitosterol), Ubiquinol™, and PteroVet™ (animal care). These ingredients target cellular and systemic resilience, longevity, healthy aging, and dermocosmetics applications across supplements, functional foods, cosmetics, and animal health sectors. The company provides full development support from concept to final solution, including formulation co-creation for partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pterovita®: Optimized nutraceutical ingredient for longevity and healthy aging, available for food and cosmetics applications
• Pteroyouth®
• CareSterol™
• PteroVet™
• Pteroplex®
• Ubiquinol™

Products and services

• Pterovita Cocrystallized pterostilbene-based nutraceutical ingredient optimized to enhance bioavailability and effectiveness for healthy aging and cellular resilience, supplied to B2B manufacturers of supplements, functional foods, and cosmetics.
• Pteroyouth Proprietary cocrystallized active ingredient formulation designed for dermocosmetic and skin-health applications, supplied to B2B cosmetics manufacturers for cellular resilience and anti-aging formulations.
• CareSterol Beta-sitosterol-based nutraceutical ingredient enhanced through the company's cocrystallization technology to deliver improved health benefits in body-health and longevity-focused supplements.
• PteroVet Animal-care product line based on cocrystallized pterostilbene technology, supplied to B2B animal-health and veterinary product manufacturers for pet and livestock cellular-resilience and health applications.
• Ubiquinol Cocrystallized Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol) ingredient optimized through CIRCE's cocrystallization technology to improve bioavailability in nutraceutical formulations targeting cellular energy and anti-aging applications.
• Pteroplex Patented cocrystallized nutraceutical ingredient developed by CIRCE for use in food applications, supplying differentiated, highly bioavailable actives to food and beverage manufacturers.
• Formulation co-development services B2B formulation co-creation and development service providing full development support from concept to final market-ready product for manufacturers of supplements, cosmetics, functional foods, and animal-care products.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sabinsa: Sabinsa is a leading manufacturer and licensor of standardized botanical extracts and nutraceutical ingredients (including branded ingredients) sold to supplement, cosmetic, and functional food manufacturers worldwide — directly comparable to CIRCE's pterostilbene, beta-sitosterol, and ubiquinol licensing business model.
• Gencor Pacific: Gencor Pacific develops and licenses branded, clinically-supported nutraceutical ingredients (e.g., for men's health, sleep, and longevity) sold B2B to formulators globally — closely overlapping with CIRCE's IP-protected, patent-positioned, B2B-branded ingredient strategy.
• Indena: Indena is an Italian botanical extracts specialist supplying standardized plant-derived ingredients to pharma, nutraceutical, and cosmetic manufacturers — directly comparable to CIRCE's botanical cocrystallization work for supplements and dermocosmetics.
• Unigen: Unigen discovers and licenses proprietary, science-backed botanical and natural ingredients for dietary supplements, functional foods, and personal care — overlapping meaningfully with CIRCE's portfolio of patented nutraceutical and cosmetic actives.
• PLT Health Solutions: PLT Health Solutions is a B2B ingredient platform that develops and licenses branded, clinically-validated nutraceutical and cosmeceutical ingredients to manufacturers — directly comparable in go-to-market (B2B ingredient licensing) to CIRCE's Pterovita and Pteroyouth offerings.
• Bioiberica: Bioiberica is a Spanish life sciences company with a strong animal nutrition/health and human nutraceutical ingredient portfolio including joint health and bioactive ingredients — closely comparable to CIRCE's dual animal (PteroVet) and human (CareSterol) ingredient business.

Broad incumbents

• Lonza Capsules & Health Ingredients: Lonza is a large-scale contract development and ingredient manufacturer serving pharma and nutraceutical customers with a broad portfolio of APIs, dosage forms, and health ingredients — a much larger incumbent whose CHI segment competes in the same B2B ingredient value chain CIRCE addresses.
• Evonik Health & Care: Evonik operates a large specialty ingredients franchise including nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and animal nutrition actives — a broad incumbent with overlapping delivery formats (lipid solubilization, bioavailability-enhanced forms) comparable to CIRCE's cocrystallization thesis.
• ADM Nutrition: ADM is a global nutrition and ingredient giant with a Human Nutrition segment that markets flavors, colors, and functional ingredients (including plant-based bioactives) to food, beverage, and supplement manufacturers — a broad incumbent in CIRCE's downstream channels.

Emerging players

• Gnosis by Lesaffre: Gnosis by Lesaffre develops and supplies microbially- and naturally-derived nutraceutical ingredients (e.g., CoQ10 ubiquinol, S-adenosylmethionine) via fermentation — overlapping with CIRCE's ubiquinol offering and adjacent in the longevity/healthy-aging nutraceutical space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CIRCE Scientific