SOD
Superoxide dismutase
The first step of the tandem. Converts superoxide to hydrogen peroxide as the initial response to oxidative pressure at the skin surface.
Superoxide → Hydrogen peroxide
For skincare formulation teams
From the Patagonian ice field to your formulation.
Swissaustral Eterja SC pairs recombinant superoxide dismutase and catalase in a complementary two-step system, rooted in an extremophilic organism from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field — a defined approach to managing superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in your formulations.
SwissAustral Eterja SC
Enzyme discovery rooted in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field
The formulation challenge
In skincare, oxidative stress is never optional.
Every skincare formulation has to contend with oxidative stress. Skin encounters reactive oxygen species (ROS) every day — from the environment and from within its own cells — making oxidative-stress management a baseline formulation and claims consideration, not an optional add-on.[1][2]
What superoxide is
Superoxide (O₂•⁻) is a short-lived oxygen free radical formed when oxygen gains an unpaired electron. It is an early ROS in the chain: it can be converted into hydrogen peroxide and contribute to the formation of more reactive species.[2]
Where it comes from
Superoxide is not an occasional external attack; it is a constant background load on the skin.
UV radiation
UVA and UVB drive ROS generation in skin; UV is the dominant external source of oxidative skin damage.
Environmental pollutants
Particulates and photo-reactive airborne compounds add to the load.
Normal cellular metabolism
Mitochondria and cell enzymes (e.g., NADPH oxidases) produce superoxide as a routine by-product, whether or not the skin has seen any sun today.
Why it is harmful
When superoxide and the ROS derived from it outpace the skin's antioxidant defenses, they cause real, molecular damage:
Oxidation of lipids, proteins, and DNA
The structural and genetic material of skin cells.
Destruction of the extracellular matrix
Collagen and elastin are degraded, producing the visible signs consumers associate with ageing: fine wrinkles, loss of elasticity, hyperpigmentation.
Dysregulated signalling
Oxidative stress drives inflammatory and apoptotic pathways that accelerate the damage cycle.
Extrinsic (photo-)aging is the visible outcome of this chemistry. For the formulator, it is also the reason antioxidant performance is a default expectation — not a premium add-on — in product development and claims substantiation.
Meet Eterja SC
A defined enzyme system from the southern ice.
Swissaustral Eterja SC combines two recombinant enzymes — superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase — in one complementary system for skincare formulation development. Working in tandem, they help neutralize the reactivity associated with superoxide and the oxidative burden it creates.
Derived from an extremophilic microorganism native to the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.
A recombinant enzyme system rooted in a microorganism adapted to one of the planet's most demanding environments.
SOD
Superoxide dismutase
One component of the complementary system.
CATALASE
Cold-Active Catalase
The partner component of the system.
Two recombinant enzymes. One coordinated system.
The chemistry of working in tandem.
Superoxide dismutase and catalase act in sequence. The first enzyme converts superoxide into hydrogen peroxide; the second then breaks hydrogen peroxide down into water and oxygen.
SUPEROXIDE
O₂•⁻
A reactive oxygen species generated in skin.
SOD
Superoxide dismutase
2 O₂•⁻ + 2 H⁺ → H₂O₂ + O₂
SOD converts superoxide into hydrogen peroxide and oxygen.
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
H₂O₂
The intermediate product of the first reaction — and the input for the second.
CATALASE
2 H₂O₂ → 2 H₂O + O₂
Catalase breaks hydrogen peroxide down into water and oxygen.
WATER + OXYGEN
H₂O + O₂
The pathway resolves into water and oxygen.
SUPEROXIDE
O₂•⁻
A reactive oxygen species generated in skin.
SOD
Superoxide dismutase
2 O₂•⁻ + 2 H⁺ → H₂O₂ + O₂
SOD converts superoxide into hydrogen peroxide and oxygen.
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
H₂O₂
The intermediate product of the first reaction — and the input for the second.
CATALASE
2 H₂O₂ → 2 H₂O + O₂
Catalase breaks hydrogen peroxide down into water and oxygen.
WATER + OXYGEN
H₂O + O₂
The pathway resolves into water and oxygen.
SOD begins the conversion of superoxide. Catalase follows by processing the hydrogen peroxide formed in that reaction. Together, they create a defined two-enzyme pathway for managing connected oxidative species.
Why the sequence matters›
SOD changes the reactive species rather than removing oxygen from the system. The resulting hydrogen peroxide therefore becomes the substrate for catalase. The two reactions are chemically connected, which is why the enzymes are presented as a tandem system rather than as unrelated antioxidant claims.
A clear mechanism is the starting point. The next question is how the system fits into formulation development.
The combination
Two enzymes, one origin.
Swissaustral Eterja SC is built from two recombinant enzymes, expressed as a defined complementary system. Both enzymes trace back to an organism identified in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field — selected because cold-adapted biology already does the chemistry the formulation needs.
Catalase
Cold-Active Catalase
The second step of the tandem. Breaks hydrogen peroxide down into water and oxygen, closing the pathway.
Hydrogen peroxide → Water + Oxygen
Two recombinant enzymes. One defined complementary system, designed for cosmetic formulation.
Origin — both enzymes are derived from a microorganism identified in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.
Ready to put a defined two-enzyme system into your next formulation?
Send your message.
If Eterja SC fits a formulation you are developing, we would like to hear about it. Tell us what you are building and our technical team will reply.
What happens next
A member of our technical team will reply within two business days, usually with a short set of follow-up questions about your formulation. We will not make claims about finished-product performance, clinical outcomes, or skin benefits; those depend on your specific base, processing, and intended use.