French company CTIBiotech and Japanese group Nikoderm Research, both specialising in R&D in non-animal testing methods, have signed a research and development partnership. The two companies aim at consolidating their technological advance in the acquisition of precise data on product safety and efficacy, in order to develop new health and beauty products through innovative techniques.
Furthermore, this partnership should enable both groups to strengthen their respective presence in Asian and European markets.
An evaluation of irritant and other physical effects is required for all products that come into contact with the skin: cosmetics, quasi-drugs, pharmaceuticals, chemical products, raw materials derived from natural products and synthetic raw materials. In this sector, acquiring strategic data on safety and efficacy is essential to the development of new products.
In Japan, Nikoderm Research introduced for the first time highly-functional models of reconstructed human skin, which were first approved in the European Union. The Japanese group then reached out to specialized dermotological testing and evaluation institutions in France, the US and Brazil, leading to the strategic partnership with CTIBiotech. A young, innovative company specialized in biotechnologies, CTIBiotech has developed research on stem cells, tissue engineering and the production of new cellular models (in vitro and ex vivo) for biomedical, pharmaceutical and dermatocosmetic research, but also for medical devices applied to cell therapy.
« The partnership with CTIBiotech and the establishment of a European liaison office will allow Nikoderm Research to develop collaborations with the academic laboratories and universities », explains Daiki Kyotani, General Manager at Nikoderm Research. « The objective is to remain on the cutting edge of R&D, in order to develop innovative new models. These models will enable us to get as close as possible to real cutaneous physiology, and facilitate the development of new active molecules that can be used in treating skin diseases (dermatology) as well as in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. »
