Cosmax Group has expanded its microbiome research partnership with Mass General Brigham, a network of Harvard Medical School-affiliated teaching hospitals, as the Korean cosmetics company pushes beyond beauty products into health supplements and drug development.
The two sides signed an agreement Oct. 13 at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston to launch the second phase of their joint VIVA Project. Cosmax Group Chairman Lee Kyung-soo and MGB Chief Development Officer Mike McNally attended.
Running from 2026 to 2029, the new phase will expand research into functional food ingredients and potential drug candidates, building on earlier work focused on skin microbiome technology.
During the first phase, conducted from 2024 to 2026, researchers combined Cosmax's skin microbiome data with MGB's clinical data to identify a microorganism-derived substance that alleviated symptoms in an atopic dermatitis model and improved skin barrier function.
The findings were published in the international journal Allergy, and Cosmax filed a Korean patent application for the related technology.
The next phase will leverage MGB's clinical infrastructure to evaluate the efficacy and safety of candidate substances, with a focus on antiaging and healthy-aging applications. Researchers will also explore probiotics and functional food ingredients that act through mechanisms similar to glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, for weight and metabolic management.
Artificial intelligence will identify research targets and optimize candidate substances, aiming to accelerate development.
Separately, Cosmax has established a development and production system for Class II adhesive transparent wound dressings, backed by Good Manufacturing Practice compliance recognition.
"Through the VIVA Project, we aim to establish technological leadership in biotechnology and medical fields beyond cosmetics," Cosmax Group Chairman Lee said.
jyoungseon8@heraldcorp.com