English Version :
SkinDuoTM, the first worldwide topical and oral therapy for acne with alive bacteria has been launched from Malta, following research and development by BioArte Ltd, straight from its labs at the Malta Life Sciences Park. The product was launched by BioArte Ltd CEO, Dr Manuele Biazzo in the presence of Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli and Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation Keith Azzopardi Tanti.
BioArte’s product, uses a combination of two products: a topical serum that addresses the microbial disbalance on the skin and an oral food supplement directed to balance out the gut microbiota. It is one of its kind that treats the disorder with probiotics, taking advantage of the good microorganisms we already have in our body.
The research and development of the product was made possible thanks to the aid provided by Malta Enterprise under various schemes. The support amounted to over €300,000, contributing towards BioArte’s diagnostic research. The company uses proprietary technology to investigate the microbial communities in our body to enable the discovery of new signatures, new ingredients, and new beneficial probiotics.
Minister Miriam Dalli stated that SMEs can be the main agents of innovation and positive disruption. As such, Malta Enterprise is there to encourage local and international SMEs to strengthen their business locally and contribute via R&D to what global innovation can be achieved here in Malta. “As more SMEs grow and flourish, they serve as a testimony to the solid foundation various schemes can provide. We encourage more innovators and start-ups to come forward to not only benefit from the schemes offered, but also because Malta Enterprise can serve as a bridge between other experts or academia that spurns new technologies, products, and innovation. Today we witnessed the fruition of a product that was researched in Malta”, she said.
Parliamentary Secretary Keith Azzopardi Tanti welcomed the work done by BioArte Ltd in the research and innovation industry. “The Government firmly believes in research and innovation and is committed to continue investing in the industry”, continued Keith Azzopardi Tanti. “We already launched various schemes to help research and innovation to expand, encouraging partnerships between government entities, academics, and the private sector. Next year more schemes will be launched to ensure the expansion of research and innovation”, Azzopardi Tanti said.
Kurt Farrugia, CEO of Malta Enterprise, explained, “Over the last months, we have seen Malta Enterprise advocating for start-ups. This focus is directly associated with the synergy between start-ups and RDI.
We are
going for innovative startups with a high element of R&D, especially since they are still in full swing to develop their core products. The message is clear; the tools are there, and Malta Enterprise is eager to assist.”
According to Dr Manuele Biazzo, CEO of The BioArte, awareness that probiotics can be beneficial for skin disorders was already there, but no one was able, so far, to reach the market with a product like this. “We are the first to come up with an approach based on oral probiotics combined with a topical serum applied directly to the skin. The two treatments need to be taken simultaneously”, Dr Biazzo remarked.
Maltese Version
Mir-riċerka għall–iżvilupp: Jitnieda l-ewwel prodott dermo-kosmetiku minn Malta
SkinDuoTM, l-ewwel terapija (topical u oral) fid-dinja għall-akne b’batterja ħajja, ġiet imnedija minn Malta, wara riċerka u żvilupp minn BioArte Limited, mil-laboratorji tagħha fil-Malta Life Sciences Park. Il-prodott tnieda mill-Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ BioArte Limited, Dr Manuele Biazzo fil-preżenza tal-Ministru għall-Ambjent, l- Enerġija u l-Intrapriża Miriam Dalli u s- Segretarju Parlamentari għaż-Żgħażagħ, ir-Riċerka u l-Innovazzjoni Keith Azzopardi Tanti.
Il-prodott ta’ BioArte, juża taħlita ta’ żewġ prodotti: topical serum li jindirizza l-iżbilanċ mikrobjali fuq il-ġilda u suppliment tal-ikel orali mmirat biex jibbilanċja l-gut microbiota. Huwa wieħed tat-tip tiegħu bi probijotiċi, billi jieħu vantaġġ mill-mikro-organiżmi tajbin li diġà għandna fil-ġisem tagħna.
Ir-riċerka u l-iżvilupp tal-prodott saru possibbli grazzi għall-għajnuna mogħtija mill-Malta Enterprise taħt diversi skemi. L-appoġġ kien jammonta għal aktar minn €300,000, li kkontribwixxa għar-riċerka dijanjostika ta’ BioArte. Il-kumpanija tuża teknoloġija proprjetarja biex tinvestiga l-microbial communities u għalhekk twassal għall- iskoperta ta’ ‘signatures’ ġodda fil-ġisem, ingredjenti ġodda u probijotiċi.
Il-Ministru Miriam Dalli qalet li l-SMEs jistgħu jkunu l-aġenti ewlenin tal-innovazzjoni. Għalhekk, il-Malta Enterprise qiegħda hemm biex tħeġġeġ lill-SMEs lokali u internazzjonali biex isaħħu n-negozju tagħhom lokalment u jikkontribwixxu permezz ta’ R&D għal liema innovazzjoni globali tista’ tinkiseb hawn Malta. “L- attivita tal-lum hija xhieda ta’ riċerka minn Malta x’tista’ twassal, riċerka li twassla għal żvilupp ta’ prodott konkret. Hekk kif aktar SMEs jikbru u jkunu ta’ suċċess, dawn iservu bħala xhieda tal-pedament sod li diversi skemi jistgħu jipprovdu. Inħeġġu aktar innovaturi u startups biex jersqu ’l quddiem biex mhux biss jibbenefikaw mill-iskemi offruti, iżda wkoll għaliex il-Malta Enterprise tista’ sservi ta’ pont bejn esperti jew akkademja oħra li tiżboq teknoloġiji, prodotti, u innovazzjoni ġodda”, qalet il-Ministru Dalli.
Is-Segretarju Parlamentari għaż-Żgħażagħ, ir-Riċerka u l-Innovazzjoni Keith Azzopardi Tanti faħħar ix-xogħol tal-kumpanija BioArte Ltd fl-industrija tar-riċerka u l-innovazzjoni bit-tnedija tal-prodott Skin Duo. “Il-Gvern jemmen bis-sħiħ fir-riċerka u innovazzjoni u huwa kommess li jkompli jinvesti f’dan il-qasam”, kompla Keith Tanti. “Diġa’ nedejna diversi skemi sabiex naġevolaw it-tkabbir tar-riċerka u l-innovazzjoni f’pajjiżna, filwaqt li nħeġġu ħidma konġunta bejn entitajiet governattivi, is-settur akkademiku, u l-privat. Fis-sena li ġejja se nkomplu nniedu aktar skemi sbaiex nespandi l-qasam tar-riċerka u l-innovazzjoni”, qal Azzopardi Tanti.
“Fl-aħħar xhur, rajna lill-Malta Enterprise timbotta ‘l quddiem l-istartups. Dan il-fokus huwa direttament assoċjat mas-sinerġija bejn startups u RDI. Irridu nkomplu nattiraw startups innovattivi b’element għoli ta’ R&D,
speċjalment peress li għadhom fl-aqwa tagħhom biex jiżviluppaw il-prodotti ewlenin tagħhom. Il-messaġġ huwa ċar; l-għodod qegħdin hemm, u l-Malta Enterprise hija ħerqana li tassisti”, spjega l-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-Malta Enterprise Kurt Farrugia.
Skont Dr Manuele Biazzo, Kap Eżekuttiv ta’ The BioArte, l-għarfien li l-probijotiċi jistgħu jkunu ta’ benefiċċju għal skin disorders kien diġà hemm, iżda ħadd ma kien kapaċi, s’issa, jilħaq is-suq bi prodott bħal dan. “Aħna minn ta l-ewwel li qed noħorġu b’approċċ ibbażat fuq probijotiċi orali flimkien ma’ serum topiku applikat direttament fuq il-ġilda. Iż-żewġ trattamenti jittieħdu fl-istess ħin”, irrimarka Dr Biazzo.