As consumers are increasingly more mindful about what they are putting on their skin, personal care and pharmaceutical companies have been actively innovating through various technologies to meet consumers’ skincare needs and stay ahead of the game. JAH Tech, a local start-up that manages private companies’ deep tech research and its applications in our everyday environment, is no different.

In June 2019, Tan Chong Hui, CEO of JAH Tech, sought IPI’s help to look for a commercialisation partner that could put their new compound’s properties to the test for skincare applications. The new ingredient, SanitatemAlpha comprises super carbon nanoparticles that could be applied to cosmetics products.

Following in-depth discussions with JAH Tech about their technology, IPI identified Denova Sciences as a potential collaborator for them. A start-up from National Technological University, Denova Sciences’ expertise is in non-animal testing for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries by using in-vitro 3D human organ models and cutting-edge technologies.JAH Tech and Denova Sciences signed a collaboration agreement in August 2019, before commencing an in-depth assessment of JAH Tech’s compound’s functional efficacy for five key properties – non-irritant, anti-ageing, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidant and skin whitening. Pleased with the encouraging initial test results, Tan hopes to incorporate SanitatemAlpha into a new skincare product, which could increase JAH Tech’s revenue stream within the next three years.

“IPI’s proactive approach in matching JAH Tech and Denova Sciences has enabled us to significantly reduce our commercialisation time frame. We have gained independent scientific reports that verified the potency and efficacy of SanitatemAlpha with clear industry-specific tests through this collaboration. Additional effects of our product were also uncovered in the process, which are possible breakthrough applications in multiple pharmacological treatments,” Tan shared.

SanitatemAlpha has since been successfully incorporated into different cosmetic and skincare products found in Asian countries like China, Korea and Singapore. In addition, JAH Tech and Denova Sciences have expanded their scope of partnership in April 2020 to explore other potential application areas such as wound healing products.