Launch of LabSkin™, a breakthrough research tool for pharmaceutical, cosmetic and cosmeceutical companies

Evocutis plc (AIM:EVO), the company focussed on advanced laboratory and clinical evaluations of skincare products for the health and cosmetic markets, announces the launch of its LabSkin™ full thickness human skin equivalent model as a consumable research tool for cosmetic and pharmaceutical product development. To date, LabSkin™ was only available through Evocutis services. The launch took place this week at the Stratum Corneum conference in Cardiff, UK.

LabSkin™ is a unique human skin model comprised of both dermal and epidermal layers constructed from primary human cells (keratinocytes & fibroblasts). LabSkin™ exhibits a fully differentiated epidermal layer, which provides a completely dry surface for product testing. The robust nature of LabSkin™ enables transverse-sectioning and therefore molecular and histological analysis of the effects of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products on the human skin model at a cellular level.

Unlike previous 3D skin models, LabSkin™ has many attributes making it a versatile research tool. It is highly robust, allowing product to be applied directly to the surface by hand, and displays a barrier function similar to that of human skin. As such, it is very easy to use, which is further helped by the large surface area 4.5cm2 (the size of a 10p coin/bottle cap), and has genuine longevity of use between 10 and 14 days.

Existing models mostly require very high levels of expertise for use, are often fragile and immersed in fluids, have limited barrier function, and offer a short test window.

Additionally, it is possible to colonise LabSkin™ with naturally occurring micro-flora and bacteria to emulate various skin scenarios. This includes bacteria that are clinically unethical to test on humans, such as MRSA; C. difficile; and other life-threatening microbes.

Potential applications of LabSkin™ include

·Basic and applied skin research
·Structural, metabolic and physiological studies
·Gene and protein expression
·Microbial colonisation
·Penetration and delivery
·Pre-clinical screening
·Ingredient and product efficacy studies
·Wound healing

Gwyn Humphreys, CEO of Evocutis, said "The advancement of LabSkin™ into a commercially available product for direct sale is an exciting step for the Company, which builds on the Company's consultancy expertise. Evocutis continues to offer a bespoke consultancy and contract research service allowing clients to access its world class skin and living skin equivalent expertise.This falls in line with the Company's continued strategy which aims to be the pre-eminent supplier of focussed skin science solutions for functional pharmaceutical, cosmetics and consumer healthcare products."

Tissues are supplied as ready-to-use kits in 6-well formats with sufficient culture media for 10 days, during which time LabSkin™ remains intact, metabolically active and responsive.

Please contact sales@evocutis.com for LabSkin™ sales enquiries.

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For further information, please contact:

Evocutis plc
Tom Bannatyne, Chairman
+44 (0)844 209 8440
Dr Gwyn Humphreys, Interim Chief Executive Officer
www.evocutis.com

LabSkin™ sales team
sales@evocutis.com

Zeus Capital Ltd
Andrew Jones
Tel: +44(0)161 831 1512
Nick Cowles
www.zeuscapital.co.uk

XCAP Securities Plc
Karen Kelly
Tel: +44(0) 207 101 7070               
Halimah Hussain
www.xcapgroup.co.uk

Media enquiries:
Abchurch Communications
Sarah Hollins / Adam Michael / Simone Elviss / Jamie Hooper
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7398 7719
jamie.hooper@abchurch-group.com
www.abchurch-group.com

Notes to editors
About Evocutis plc
With a rich portfolio of new product opportunities, Evocutis offers antimicrobial and dermatological expertise to the cosmetic, consumer healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.Being uniquely able to combine research for laboratory testing, advanced skin models and clinical testing, Evocutis offers a complete service for the development of skin care products and ingredients. Through research and testing we enable our clients to advance the discovery of skin care products that actually work.

Offering high quality contract research services, Evocutis specialises in Human Skin Microbiology, tissue culture systems and Human Volunteer and Clinical Dermatology Research. Unique characteristics of its colonised full thickness model of human skin (LabSkin™) allow rapid, cost effective screening of, for example, anti-ageing, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial ingredients and products for use on skin. Additionally, the clinical, human volunteer testing facility that is housed on-site provides rapid, bespoke evaluation of dermatological products.

When it comes to advanced laboratory and clinical evaluations of skincare products for the health and cosmetic markets, the Evocutis focus is simple: intelligent and specialised R&D input.

For further information, please see www.evocutis.com

About LabSkin™
LabSkin™ is an animal-replacement technology, that emulates living skin tissue and is a high value research and product testing tool for the cosmetic and healthcare industries. It is a full thickness human skin model, comprised of both dermal and epidermal layers, and is produced exclusively and reproducibly on site at Evocutis from primary human cells (keratinocytes & fibroblasts). The model exhibits a fully differentiated epidermal layer, which provides a completely dry surface for tailored testing requirements.

LabSkin™ is highly versatile, and alongside its antimicrobial model, Evocutis is developing models to test anti-ageing and moisturising products. The antimicrobial LabSkin™ model allows testing using pathogenic microorganisms which would not be possible in human clinical studies. In addition, methods have been developed to allow LabSkin™ to be inoculated with skin washings taken directly from human skin, thus providing a step-change in the quality of data possible from a laboratory model.By benchmarking activity against best-in-class products, the activity of new ingredients and formulations can be assessed for several antimicrobial endpoints, including immediate kill, rate of kill and residual activity.

Recent research indicates that our natural microflora is an integral part of our skin and makes a significant contribution to skin health.LabSkin™ provides a unique living skin surface which is validated for microbial applications and can simultaneously provide information on irritation, penetration, barrier function and skin structure.