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DeNova Sciences
DeNova Sciences strives to provide the best range of artificial Skin model and newly added Oriental/Asian Skin explant suitable for use in rigorous clinical testing, diagnostics, reconstructive industry and cosmetic surgery to validate their claims that have, thus far, currently being enforced for medical-related products.
$X,000,000
Y% undefined $X,000,000
Z
8 years ago
Overview

Executive Summary

DENOVA Sciences strives to provide the best range of artificial Skin model and newly added Oriental/Asian Skin explant suitable for use in rigorous clinical testing, diagnostics, reconstructive industry and cosmetic surgery to validate their claims that have, thus far, currently being enforced for medical-related products.DENOVA Sciences strives to provide the best range of artificial Skin model and newly added Oriental/Asian Skin explant suitable for use in rigorous clinical testing, diagnostics, reconstructive industry and cosmetic surgery to validate their claims that have, thus far, currently being enforced for medical-related products.

Problem/Opportunity

DENOVA Sciences provides contract services for testing and diagnostics for both commercial and non-commercial entities. The use of in vitro human skin models has lately become a major advancement by the cosmetic industry to reconcile issues of ethical constraints and biocompatibility. These in vitro skin models, also known as organotypic co-cultures (OTC), comprises of human keratinocytes grown on a fibroblast-embedded collagen gel. However, current OTCs fail to represent the various skin conditions, such as wrinkled ageing skin, dry skin and atopic dermatitis skin. Many of today's animal and cell-based toxicity testing models are burdened by significant accuracy, reproducibility, cost and ethical concerns. Our customers are primarily made up of four main groups consisting of, cosmeceutical/pharmaceutical MNCs, academic and research institutes, hospitals and government agencies, lastly there are SMEs. In present times, there is a large market for test product and services on skin substitutes where large cosmetic companies spend millions of dollar per years on this type of testing. The continual research and advance medical care for the treatments of critical burns patients and other skin disorder further escalated the existing market demands. In all, with Singapore placing more importance and funding in the advance healthcare industry, we are confident of using our capabilities and expertise in this area to break into this in-demand market.

Solution

Currently, the need for contract work has also grown exponentially as globalization and the need for profit margins has forced large corporations to outsource their product testing. This translates to reduced cost and better productivity. However, there is no existing service that addresses the demand of the dermatological-related companies for claim validation of products on different types of in vitroskin substitutes that model the various human skin conditions. In addition, we have newly incorporated Oriental/Asian human skin explant for testing purposes.

Product/Service Details

Denova Sciences, founded in December 2012, is a spin-off company from Nanyang Technological University (NTU). The focus of the company is to create the best available artificial skin substitute with the widest range of skin types catered to. All of them based off a ready and viable basic model. This is a direct response to the EU banning of animal and human testing and subsequent void for available testing model for cosmetics, toiletry and pharmaceutical products. DNSkin™ Origin, Dry, Pigment and Cancer are the four existing skin models held by the company. The DNSkin™ Origin is an in vitro full thickness human skin model and is of close resemblance to the native human skin. The DNSkin™ Dry is a unique dry skin model cultured in a specialized lowered humidify environment. Being the first of its kind in the world, it has now made the assessment of the skin barrier function conceivable. The DNSkin™ Pigment is a pigmented skin model cultured with the inclusion of melanin-producing cells and cultured in a specialized environment. The DNSkin™ Cancer is a squamous cell carcinoma skin model with benign or malignant tumor epithelial cells overlaying the cancer associated fibroblasts. All these DNSkin™ models are carefully cultured in a serum-free environment with our chemically defined DNMedia™ formulated for optimal growth. Future pipelines will include haired skin model (a current research collaboration with BNI of A*STAR) and aging and wrinkled skin model as the next targeted skin types to be artificially reproduced. Denova Sciences offers services for product testing, validation or co-development using our proprietary range of skin models.

Traction & Accomplishments

Our current client portfolio including pharmaceutical MNCs, research institutes, Academia such as University or Polytechnics and small and hospitals. Denova Sciences was awarded the in ACE-Grant of S$50,000 in 2013. Subsequently we went on to win the LES China award in Hangzhou at the Student business plan competition, 2nd runner up in Singapore for the Tech Grand Prix competition. DeNova Sciences recently attended Techinnovation 2015 and had the opportunity to showcase our technology on stage as a presenter as well as being feature in the Sciences section of The Straits Times on September 25th 2015.

The company’s revenue stream stems from service contracts initially which will later on broaden to manufacturing of artificial skin as a product, possible medical applications as well as education for medical professionals.  DeNova Sciences currently has on hand, MNC's, Academia, Research Institutes, and also smaller regional and local private companies. Ongoing R&D will ensure that new product offerings will always be available.

How We're Different

DeNova Sciences is currently the only provider of unbiased third party laboratory based testing services in the Asian Region using our proprietary technology to replace current outdated methodology and soon to be banned/limited animal testing methods previously used.

Team

DeNova Science's core team comprises of the three founders, with Mr. Daniel Tan (CEO) in charge of the business aspect, Mr Tan Ming Jie (COO & CSO) in charge of the test protocols and day to day operations, and lastly Dr Kelvin Chong (CTO) in charge of the R&D. We also have two mentors, Professor Andrew Tan from NTU's School of Biological Sciences and Mr Frankie Lee from Ntuitive.

 

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