L’Oréal-backed biotech Debut releases skin care brand targeting “inflammaging”

22 Jan 2024 --- Debut, a synthetic biology company, launches its first skin care line, Deinde. The brand has three products targeting “inflammaging” — a chronic, low-level inflammation that accelerates aging.

Deinde, which translates to “what’s next” in Latin, features a facial cleanser (Purifying Whipped Cleanser, US$32), face balm (Moisture-locking Face Stick, US$36) and serum (Skin-strengthening Serum, US$88).

Minority investor in Debut, L’Oréal, previously led a series B round for the company, which resulted in US$40 million in funding. It is reported that the biotechnology company raised more than US$70 million in total.

Dominque Gagnon, VP of Consumer Brands at Debut, says: “We are capitalizing on the new wave of preventive care, addressing the concerns of consumers in their twenties and thirties to maintain skin health rather than repairing skin damage that has already occurred. Improving productivity by streamlining business processes is also our top priority.”

Reducing inflammation
Deinde’s formulations contain ceramides, recyclable date palm seed extract and bio-inspired tripeptides — peptides derived from three amino acids joined by two or three peptide bonds. The ingredients are designed to address and prevent skin inflammation.

The products also highlight the brand’s developed biotechnological anti-inflammatory ingredient, called naringenin. Naringenin is naturally found in citrus fruits, particularly grapefruit peels, and is said to be 15 times more effective than niacinamide at addressing signs of inflammation, redness, fine lines, dryness and loss of elasticity.

Skin care ingredient, naringenin is naturally found in grapefruits.According to Deinde, the ingredient uses 99% less water and less land needed to grow. In an eight-week placebo-controlled, double-blind study with 30 participants, 100% of users saw improvement in elasticity in 4 weeks. Naringenin also strengthens the skin barrier.

Additionally, Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) reports that Debut will soon introduce a dermatologist program to spread the word on Deinde, naringenin and inflammaging. The company will highlight the ingredient and inflammation issue on TikTok alongside other platforms.

“Historically, polyphenols have proven difficult to extract and stabilize by plant cultivation, extraction and processing, so there was this novel idea that we could deliver all of the benefits of this compound through biotech,” Gagnon tells WWD.

Debut’s next debut
Future products from Debut are said to target crow’s feet and the neck.

“We are thinking about our portfolio from the perspective of what makes an invaluable addition to a core, minimalist regimen,” asserts Gagnon.

Previously, Personal Care Insights reported on Debut’s IP portfolio, from which more than 7,000 ingredients can be created to bring more environmentally sustainable ingredients to the market faster.

The company’s platform comprises a proprietary database of over 3.8 million pre-clinical data points to find and discover new ingredients that address beauty consumer needs.

Industry analysts believe the brand could reach sales of US$3 million to US$5 million in its first year.

By Sabine Waldeck

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