Symrise and Cutech Team Up on Screening
Symrise and Cutech have been collaborating since 2003 in the field of biotissue engineering. This pioneering cooperation has resulted in the development of a full thickness pig skin model as a more reliable and economical alternative.
22/04/08 Symrise and Cutech have launched SCoutech. The joint venture provides high-tech screening services for the personal care, nutraceuticals and pharma industries. Symrise GmbH Co. KG and the Italian biotech company Cutech Srl have founded a highly specialized biotechnology joint venture called SCoutech as of April 1st, 2008. SCoutech offers screening services for cosmetic raw materials, cosmetic formulations, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. Using cell and tissue-based screening assays, SCoutech supports the development of effective products for skin and hair care.
In this joint venture, Symrise and Cutech merge their expertise and offer their clients extensive screening and consulting services. The Padua-based Italian company Cutech is specialized in the design of highly informative skin and hair follicle screening models to be used as an alternative to animal testing, whereas Symrise provides the full range of its experience in developing active ingredients and in consumer research.
Symrise and Cutech have been collaborating since 2003 in the field of biotissue engineering. This pioneering cooperation has resulted in the development of a full thickness pig skin model (PSOCM) to be used as a more reliable and economical alternative to artificial skin models. Via SCoutech, this powerful model, for which a patent is pending, is now available for contract screening for the first time. Together with the portfolio of screening tools already available at Cutech, it allows SCoutech to offer a broad range of screening assays in full compliance with the new EU cosmetics directive which gradually bans animal testing on personal care products.
"This joint venture offers our clients in the beauty and health industry sophisticated tools to test the efficacy and tolerability of their products — from individual ingredients all the way to the finished products. Both partners are bringing their strengths and expertise to this joint venture and can synergize them to create a service that is unique in this industry,” says Dr. Gabriele Vielhaber, Vice President Innovation / R&D Life Essentials, who is responsible for the Symrise side of the initiative.
Dr. Paolo Pertile, President and CEO at Cutech, is also convinced of the success that this cooperation promises: “SCoutech considers screening to be much more than a mechanical activity done by sophisticated equipment. Our test procedures are reliable and beyond ethical objection. Furthermore, our experts offer guidance and consulting in order to provide our customers with information not only on the efficacy of their products, but also on the possible mechanism of action, in order to support both their R&D and marketing departments.”
