Japanese brand Eternam taps regenerative medicine to develop lip and skin care from umbilical cord-derived stem cell

Despite having a mucous membrane with higher absorption rate than other parts of the skin, and are thus more likely to feel the effects of proper care, the care that lips receive is typically limited to moisturisation.

Leveraging regenerative medicine technology, Eternam has developed a lip serum that claims to nourish lips “the way skin care does for the skin” and “change one’s appearance”.

Founded in July 2023, Eternam means eternal in Latin and it seeks to empathise with consumers who long for “eternal beauty” and give them the confidence to pursue it.

The lip serum is the firm’s first product, which contains a high concentration of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell (UC-MSC) cultured supernatant.

The cultured supernatant is the liquid obtained when culturing rare UC-MSCs. It has been approved by the FDA and granted an International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient (INCI) name after passing rigorous efficacy and safety tests.

“Although regenerative medicine and cosmetic science are gradually becoming more popular due to their recognised effectiveness, UC-MSCs have mostly been used in regenerative medicine research so far, and the routes of acquisition are very limited. ​

“In addition to natural plant-derived ingredients, this product also contains vitamin C derivatives and sodium hyaluronate, aiming to leave your lips in all-round good condition,” ​the firm said.

The lip serum was launched on Eternam’s official online shop and e-commerce platform Amazon on September 2.

At the same time, a range of skin care products named Eternam DR Series have been released exclusively at medical institutions.

This series, comprising a lotion, serum and cream, is formulated with a “optimum amount” of UC-MSC cultured supernatant and is designed to provide results within a short period.

Gaining limelight​

Mesenchymal stem cells are somatic (non-productive) stem cells naturally found in the bone marrow, fat, dental pulp, umbilical cord, placenta, among others.

They are reportedly able to differentiate into various cells, such as bone cells, cartilage cells, fat cells, nerve cells, and release components that provide nutrients to damaged tissues.

According to Eternam, UC-MSCs have higher exosome content than mesenchymal stem cells derived from fat or bone marrow.

Due to its high level of cytokines and exosomes, UC-MSC cultured supernatant has been drawing attention for its use in the medical and cosmetic fields.

Eternam works with Cell Exosome Therapeutics, a company that conducts regenerative medicine research, using the latter’s technology and culture medium to manufacture its proprietary supernatant.

The supernatant applied by Eternam contains more than 500 types of cytokines and exosomes, with the main components addressing a variety of areas, such as anti-inflammatory, tissue protection and repair, and immune regulation.

For instance, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has several effects on skin tissues, including wound repair, cell proliferation, and angiogenesis, while monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) promotes the proliferation and migration of macrophages, and is believed to be useful in removing aged cells and excessively produced melanin pigments.

Additionally, transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGFβ-1) stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, improving skin moisture retention and delaying skin ageing. It is also said to have wound repair and anti-inflammatory effects.

To further ensure the safety of its supernatant, Eternam has conducted various tests in accordance with Japan’s “Guidelines for Evaluation of Safety of Functional Cosmetics”.

These include tests on acute toxicity, primary skin irritation, continuous skin irritation, sensitisation, phototoxicity, eye irritation, mutagenicity, and human patch testing.