PureTech Scientific: From Glycolic Acid Producer to Formulation Solutions Partner
Interview with Heather Hayes
Head of Marketing, PureTech Scientific
For readers meeting PureTech Scientific for the first time, or catching up since our last feature, how would you describe the company today?
PureTech Scientific is the only U.S.-based producer of glycolic acid, running a continuous, 24/7 production facility in Belle, West Virginia, with a dedicated purification plant in Dayton, Tennessee. That two-site structure gives us end-to-end control, from synthesis through purification to final release, so quality and supply stay consistent no matter which market we're serving, whether that's personal care, disinfection, or industrial. We also offer contract and toll manufacturing out of Dayton, and we distribute globally, including through multiple partners in the EU.
You've talked about shifting from being "just" a supplier to a solutions partner. What does that mean in practice?
It means we don't stop at shipping a drum of glycolic acid. Because we control purification and reaction chemistry in-house at Dayton, we can work alongside a customer's formulation or regulatory team when they hit a specific challenge: a purity specification, a stability question, or finding the right grade for a new application. We can also produce active ingredients and support custom reaction chemistry for partners who need something built, not just supplied. A reliable, vertically integrated supply chain is a baseline expectation in this industry right now. Being able to help solve the problem behind the order is what turns a supplier into a partner.
Glypure® has moved well beyond its original skincare footprint. What's changed there?
Glypure® started as a cosmetic-grade skincare ingredient, and it still excels at that job, but we've recently released new frame formulations that extend it into deodorant, lip care, and hair and scalp applications. That expansion isn't just a raw material claim. Our technical team partners with customers on formulation development, running compatibility and stability testing to confirm how Glypure® performs alongside other actives and excipients in the finished formulation, from initial samples through scale-up and into market launch. It's a deliberate shift toward backing Glypure® with substantiated efficacy data, rather than resting on its skincare reputation alone.
Any hints on what's coming next from that pipeline?
We have several efficacy studies underway covering microbiome and odor control, lip safety, and hair and scalp performance, and we're not quite ready to share results. What I can say is that formulators should expect more data-backed Glypure® applications soon, so it's worth keeping an eye on us over the next few months.
Turning to Glyclean® D, where does that stand today?
Glyclean® D glycolic acid is a safer, biodegradable disinfectant active alternative, with three distinct mechanisms of action that help reduce the potential for microbial resistance. We currently have four formulations ready for sub-registration under EPA, and we're in the process of completing BPR registration in the EU for PT2, 3 & 4. It's a good example of the same purity and process control behind Glypure® being put to work in a completely different vertical.
Last question: what should SOFW readers look for from PureTech at SEPAWA Congress this October?
We'll be at Booth 731-732, and we'd encourage anyone formulating in personal care, disinfection, or industrial applications to stop by. Our technical team will be on-site to talk through specific formulation or regulatory questions. We’ll be sharing where the Glypure® application studies and Glyclean® D registrations are headed in two presentations selected for the Forum for Innovation session: "Glycolic Acid and Preservation in Low pH Cosmetic Formulations" and "Screening and Validation of Glyclean® D Glycolic Acid-Based Formulations for Broad-Spectrum Bactericidal and Virucidal Efficacy“. If you're looking for a partner who helps solve the problem, not just fill the order, that's the conversation we want to have at the booth.
