Beiersdorf Acquires Skin Microbiome Specialist
PARIS — Beiersdorf AG is expanding its knowledge of the skin’s microbiome with the acquisition of S-Biomedic NV.
The German maker of Nivea, La Prairie and Tesa products said Friday that it has purchased a majority stake in the Belgian life-science company, which is touted as a pioneer in skin microbiome research field.
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Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
In a statement released Friday, Beiersdorf described the microbiome as offering “unique starting points for break-through skin care innovations.”
Over the past few years, beauty companies have increasingly turned toward skin’s microbiome, where billions of bacteria live, as a key factor for skin health.
Their research and development has resulted in the creation of new products made to help balance the microbiome which, when it’s disrupted, can trigger skin conditions such as acne.
Beiersdorf has for years focused on the potential of treating the skin microbiome for skin care. It invested in S-Biomedic in 2018 as part of its corporate venture capital activity.
Following the takeover, S-Biomedic will still be managed as a freestanding organization under Beiersdorf’s microbiome program. Beiersdorf said in the statement that S-Biomedic will complement its own research in this domain.
S-Biomedic was founded by Veronika Oudova and Bernhard Paetzold in 2014. The company researches and develops active ingredients for cosmetics products using living skin bacteria.
“As skin care experts, research has been at the heart of what we have been doing for 140 years. Therefore, the acquisition of S-Biomedic is an ideal strategic fit to drive our innovation power even further in line with our C.A.R.E.+ strategy,” said Gitta Neufang, senior vice president of research and development of Beiersdorf, in the statement.
She was referring to the group’s strategy to win in skin care and boost consumer-centricity through digitization.
“Together with the pioneers of S-Biomedic, we are taking skin care to the next level and will foster the development of solutions for unmet consumer needs,” Neufang said.
“The advances of S-Biomedic in biomedical research complement our own efforts in this field and open the door to develop products that work in harmony with the natural skin processes,” said Jörn Hendrik Reuter, manager microbiome accelerator at Beiersdorf.
Oudova, chief executive officer of S-Biomedic, added: “Our vision since 2014, when we started S-Biomedic, has been to build and promote skin microbiome technologies and make them to the new frontier in skin health. I am very excited that together with the team we have achieved a very important milestone on that journey. By joining Beiersdorf our novel approach has its path to consumers all over the world.”
