[Edaily Reporter KIM SAE-MI ] Tego Science, Inc.(191420)announced on the 16th that it has obtained a patent for a “Method for Producing a Three-Dimensional Cultured Skin Model Containing Hair Follicle Structures Using Fibroblasts.”

This technology is the core technology behind “NEODERM-DF,” a 3D cultured skin model containing hair follicles that Tego Science, Inc. has commercialized and is supplying to hair research and development institutions both domestically and internationally.

The core of this patent lies in the production of a three-dimensional cultured skin model that replicates the human hair follicle structure using fibroblasts as a substitute for dermal papilla cells.

Hair follicle dermal papilla cells regulate hair formation and growth and are used in the development of hair growth agents and the creation of alternative testing models to animal testing. However, they have limitations, as they tend to lose their inherent characteristics and exhibit reduced proliferative capacity during in vitro culture.

Tego Science, Inc. identified fibroblasts that possess functional characteristics similar to dermal papilla cells and can be cultured relatively stably, and applied them to the production of skin models. According to the company, fibroblasts are relatively easy to culture in large quantities, enabling a stable supply of cells and the mass production of skin models.

The company expects that 3D cultured skin models based on this technology can be utilized as a screening platform for evaluating the efficacy of candidate substances related to hair loss and hair growth, as well as alternative testing models to animal experiments.

A Tego Science, Inc. official stated, “Obtaining this patent has strengthened the technological competitiveness of our ‘NEODERM’ hair follicle-containing cultured skin model,” adding, “We plan to expand domestic and international sales by leveraging this patented technology.”