Merz Aesthetics®, the world’s largest dedicated medical aesthetics business, has made an investment in Acorn Biolabs by leading its Series A funding round. Acorn Biolabs is a personalized regenerative medicine company with offices in Toronto, Canada and Los Angeles, U.S. Acorn Biolabs offers the world’s first non-invasive, follicle-based, stem cell cryopreservation service and is developing treatments made from a client’s own cells. Terms were not disclosed.
“Merz Aesthetics is at the forefront of the emerging field of regenerative aesthetics, which seeks to stimulate the body’s own systems to repair and restore the structure and integrity of aging skin. We are looking to invest in opportunities that lie at the intersection of regenerative aesthetics and personalized medicine and our investment in Acorn Biolabs directly aligns with this strategy,” said Jon Parrish, PhD, chief corporate development officer at Merz Aesthetics.
Acorn Biolabs is the first to offer a non-invasive way to preserve stem cells for future regenerative treatments, including both therapeutic and aesthetic applications. Acorn Biolabs currently has partner clinics across the U.S. and Canada offering their cell cryopreservation service and are preparing to launch their first cell-based application, a topical aesthetic product, in Q2 2024.
“This funding enables us to expand our commercial operations in Canada and the U.S., and to continue research and development of regenerative aesthetic applications,” said Drew Taylor, MSc, PhD, and CEO of Acorn Biolabs. “We look forward to collaborating with the Merz Aesthetics teams, leveraging their commercial and development expertise in aesthetics.”
In collaboration with industry experts, Merz Aesthetics is leading the charge to define regenerative aesthetics and establish it as a distinct field with its own set of goals and parameters. Merz Aesthetics is actively working to educate practitioners and support them in educating their patients on the importance of regenerative aesthetics as the field continues to grow and evolve. This also includes funding the research for seven publications on the topic in peer-reviewed journals such as The Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, Aesthetic Surgery Journal and Frontiers in Medicine.
About Merz Aesthetics
Merz Aesthetics is a medical aesthetics business with a long history of empowering health care professionals, patients and employees to live every day with confidence. We aim to help people around the world look, feel and live like the best versions of themselves — however they define it. Clinically proven, its product portfolio includes injectables, devices and skin care treatments designed to meet each patient’s needs with high standards of safety and efficacy. Being family owned for more than 115 years, Merz Aesthetics is known for building unique connections with customers who feel like family. Merz Aesthetics’ global headquarters is in Raleigh, N.C., U.S., with a commercial presence in 90 countries worldwide. It is also a part of Merz Group, which was founded in 1908 and is based in Frankfurt, Germany. Learn more at us.merzaesthetics.com.
About Acorn Biolabs
With offices in Toronto, Canada and Los Angeles, U.S., Acorn Biolabs is a next-generation personalized regenerative medicine company with services currently offered at partner clinic locations across North America. Acorn has developed the world’s first non-invasive, follicle-based cell cryopreservation service and has patented cell-based treatments made from a patient’s own hair follicle cells. Learn more at www.acorn.me
Contact
Tyra Sitton
Director, North America Communications
Tel: (984) 232-4696
Tyra.Sitton@merz.com