Overview
- The FDA finalized approval of bemotrizinol on June 9, 2026, designating the chemical UV filter GRASE for use in over‑the‑counter sunscreens for adults and children 6 months and older.
- The agency based its decision on evidence that bemotrizinol provides stable broad‑spectrum UVA and UVB protection at tested concentrations up to 6 percent and shows low measured skin absorption.
- Approval used a streamlined OTC review pathway created by Congress in 2020, making bemotrizinol the first new active sunscreen ingredient added to the U.S. list in more than two decades.
- Dutch company DSM (DSM‑Firmenich) will market the first U.S. product as Parsol Shield and holds an 18‑month exclusivity window, after which other manufacturers may incorporate the filter into formulations.
- Experts and consumer groups say the decision narrows a long‑standing UVA protection gap in U.S. sunscreens and could spur lighter, longer‑lasting formulations, though consumers should not expect wide retail availability until manufacturers complete reformulation and launches later in 2026.