Demonstration testing of “my own” beauty products

PALO ALTO, Calif., July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — KOSÉ Corporation (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Kazutoshi Kobayashi), I Peace, Inc. (Headquarters: Palo Alto, California, USA; Founder & CEO: Koji Tanabe), and Reju, Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Yurie Kamiya) have agreed to enter a strategic partnership to develop and provide personalized beauty products^*1 containing iPSF (iPS cell extract), a unique ingredient derived from each customers’ own iPS cells^*2. The personalized beauty products will not only contain iPSF but will be formulated in the optimal dosage form and texture to suit each customer’s preferences and sensibilities. This innovative approach ensures that customers can enjoy the beauty products meticulously tailored to their needs and desires. Before the end of 2024, the partnership plans to commence demonstration testing of the technical and business aspects of these beauty products, collaborating with medical institutions in Japan.

*1 Personalized beauty products resulting from this project will be provided through medical institutions under medical supervision, rather than being provided as cosmetics as defined by the Japanese Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act.

*2 iPS cells are a type of stem cell that can proliferate almost indefinitely and differentiate into any type of cell in the various tissues and organs, making them promising for regenerative medicine applications.

Background to the strategic partnership

KOSÉ, a leading company in the business of beauty in Japan as a provider of cosmetics and other products, has joined forces with I Peace, a biotech company working in the field of iPS cell technology, and Reju, a supplier of iPSF. This strategic partnership is driven by a shared commitment to delivering personalized beauty solutions that are tailored to the unique individuality of each customer in a society that respects diversity.

With a focus on the 3G principals of Global, Gender, and Generation, KOSÉ is working on a mission to deliver the value of beauty to as many people as possible by targeting new customer segments, beyond adult women. KOSÉ is committed to providing a wide range of cosmetic products tailored to meet the unique needs of diverse customers including different functions and usability, by leveraging its extensive expertise and strength in cosmetics development and brand creation. To further expand its value propositions beyond the realm of beauty, KOSÉ has been exploring the technical and business aspects in the areas of health and cure, elevating its value propositions to holistic well-being concept.

I Peace, on the other hand, is engaged in a number of businesses including the supply of clinical-grade iPS cells to pharmaceutical companies and cell and gene therapy developers worldwide. Additionally, I Peace offers iPS cell banking services for individuals, enabling them to store their own iPS cells for personalized disease treatment in the future and other applications. Through the groundbreaking technologies, I Peace has significantly reduced the cost of manufacturing iPS cells, paving the way for a future where individuals will be able to make use of their own iPS cells.

With a separate technical partnership with I Peace, Reju is aiming to apply cutting-edge iPS cell component extraction and refining technologies to the areas of beauty and health. Reju is researching and verifying the potential contributions of iPSF, a unique iPS cell extract produced through these advanced technologies, to cell rejuvenation and longevity. The unique iPSF components are expected to have wide-ranging applications across various beauty and healthcare areas.

Recognizing the potential of delivering truly personalized beauty solutions tailored to each customer by combining their expertise in beauty and iPS cell technology, these three companies have come together to form this new strategic partnership.

Outline of the initiative

This initiative aims to provide customers with a wide range of beauty products uniquely tailored to each individual. The process begins with the iPS cells generation from somatic cells which are collected from the customer’s own blood. In the process, the extracts of their own iPS cells are taken and stored so the customers can enjoy beauty products containing extracts of their own iPS cells. Because iPS cells are rejuvenated in the cell generation process, customers can benefit from the cellular activity levels similar to their younger selves. Moreover, the use of iPSF derived from the customers’ own cells ensures high biocompatibility, minimizing the risk of adverse reactions. In this initiative, I Peace will generate, culture, and manage iPS cells from an individual’s somatic cells using its extensive experience in operating personal iPS cell banking services employing its latest biotechnology and stringent safety protocols to ensure the highest quality. Utilizing its technical partnership with I Peace, Reju will manufacture and supply iPSF for the beauty products.

The beauty products offered through this initiative will be tailored to customers’ preferences not only in components but also in a dosage form. For example, the personalized beauty products will be available in various forms like gels for those who prefer a fresh feeling, or creams for those concerned about dryness. This versatility ensures each customer’s unique desires for usability, feel, and the added value are met, in alignment with the sensibilities they may have. KOSÉ, having developed many different cosmetics in pursuit of ever-better usability, will be in charge of providing the personalized beauty products to customers’ satisfaction.

This initiative will appoint Japanese medical institutions who will take care of collecting somatic cells from customers, preparing iPSF-based formulations, and other relevant work, with the aim to commence demonstrating testing before the end of 2024.

Roles of each party

KOSÉ:                 Manufacture and sale of preparations personalized to individual preferences
I Peace:              Generation, cultivation, and management of customers’ own iPS cells
Reju:                   Supply of iPSF (iPS cell extract)

Overview of each party

KOSÉ Corporation

Representative:  Kazutoshi Kobayashi, President & CEO
Headquarters:    3-6-2 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-8251, Japan
Founded in:        1946
Business:            Manufacture and sale of cosmetics
Website:             https://corp.kose.co.jp/en/

I Peace, Inc.

Representative: Koji Tanabe, Founder & CEO
Headquarters:   809 San Antonio Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94303, USA
Founded in:       2015
Business:          Operation of the Personal iPS Cell Banking service, and contract manufacture and sale of clinical- and research-use iPS cells for companies
Website:            https://ipeace.com/en/

Reju, Inc.

Representative: Yurie Kamiya, CEO
Headquarters:   6-15-1 Roppongi , Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032, Japan
Founded in:      2022
Business:          Supply of beauty and health products and services using iPSF (iPS cell extract)
URL                  https://rejuinc.com/

Reference: iPS cell research conducted by KOSÉ

As part of its rejuvenation research, KOSÉ has been analyzing and evaluating dermal fibroblasts collected from a single donor from the ages of 36 to 67, as well as iPS cells generated from these cells, to study skin aging. KOSÉ has reported that initialization of differentiated cells into undifferentiated iPS cells restores the length of telomeres (the terminal portion of chromosomes that shortens with each cell division) in all aged cells. In another approach, KOSÉ has succeeded in inducing dermal fibroblasts to differentiate into new dermal fibroblasts via iPS cells, and has ascertained that the quality of mitochondria was restored in dermal fibroblasts induced from these iPS cells when compared with the original cells.

Reference: About I Peace

I Peace was founded in 2015 by Dr. Koji Tanabe, a graduate of Professor Shinya Yamanaka’s laboratory at Kyoto University and the second author of the landmark paper on the world’s first human iPS cell line. Dr. Tanabe has been involved in iPS cell research since it’s early days. By manufacturing and selling cells for clinical and research use, I Peace aims to quickly bring a variety of useful iPS cell technologies to the world. Recognizing the unique advantage of iPS cells—being able to generate them from anyone and use them for personalized treatment—I Peace launched the Personal iPS Cell Banking service with the commitment to making it possible for individuals to obtain and use their own cells for personalized disease treatment. The I Peace cell manufacturing facility has been licensed by Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) to manufacture specified processed cells and is also registered with the FDA in the United States. I Peace supplies clinical-grade iPS cells to pharmaceutical companies and cell therapy development companies worldwide.

Reference: About Reju

Focusing on the rejuvenating effect of iPS cells, Reju entered a technical partnership with I Peace and conducted research and development with the aim of applying iPS cell technology to rejuvenation, both inside and out, to improve the quality of life in an era of 100-year life spans. Through extensive research and development efforts, Reju has developed iPSF (iPS cell extract), innovative product that encapsulates the rejuvenation properties of iPS cells. Reju values science and evidence-based approach to make a contribution to the next-generation of personal beauty and healthcare, going beyond existing products and services in anti-aging industry.

Source: I Peace, Inc.; KOSÉ Corporation; Reju, Inc.

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TAIPEI, July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Acer Inc. (TWSE: 2353) announced its consolidated revenues for June at NT$28.19 billion with 33.4% growth month-on-month and 7.1% growth year-on-year (YoY), achieving 12 consecutive months of YoY growth. Consolidated revenues for year-to-June reached NT$126.00 billion with 13.8% growth YoY, while revenues from the personal computers and displays^[1] business grew 16.9% in Q2 and 15.8% YoY year-to-June.

Acer’s strategy to expand multiple business engines continued to gain momentum. Total revenues from businesses other than computers and displays contributed 27.6% of the group’s total revenues in June and 28.6% year-to-June. Acer’s public subsidiaries have announced their June revenues; some highlights for businesses under incubation include:

• Altos Computing Inc., specializing in AI server and workstations, its revenues grew 163.0% YoY in Q2 and 106.4% YoY year-to-June
• Acerpure Inc. revenues grew 32.8% YoY in Q2 and 22.5% YoY year-to-June
• Acer ITS Inc. revenues grew 8.8% YoY in Q2 and 22.4% YoY year-to-June

After acquiring an office building in Santa Clara, California, USA, Acer’s subsidiaries Acer Cyber Security Inc, AEB and Weblink are moving into newly purchased office space located in Nangang, Taipei City, Taiwan, marking Acer’s long-term commitment to business sustainability.

About Acer

Founded in 1976, Acer is one of the world’s top ICT companies with a presence in more than 160 countries. As Acer evolves with the industry and changing lifestyles, it is focused on enabling a world where hardware, software and services will fuse with one another, creating ecosystems and opening up new possibilities for consumers and businesses alike. Acer’s 7,700 employees are dedicated to the research, design, marketing, sale, and support of products and solutions that break barriers between people and technology. Please visit www.acer.com for more information.

© 2024 Acer Inc. All rights reserved. Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Inc. Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and/or service marks, indicated or otherwise, are the property of their respective owners. All offers subject to change without notice or obligation and may not be available through all sales channels. Prices listed are manufacturer suggested retail prices and may vary by location. Applicable sales tax extra.

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Company to Gain Deeper Insights Into Customers’ Lifestyle and Usage Patterns and Accelerate LG ThinQ AI Home Business

SEOUL, South Korea, July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — LG Electronics (LG) recently acquired an 80 percent stake in Athom, an industry-leading smart home platform company based in Enschede, Netherlands. The agreement includes plans to acquire the remaining 20 percent within the next three years. This strategic move aims to enhance LG’s connectivity within open smart home ecosystems. By integrating Athom’s capabilities with LG’s Affectionate Intelligence technology, LG aspires to lead the AI-driven home innovation era.

LG plans to integrate Athom’s extensive connectivity – which links thousands of appliances, sensors and lighting devices – with the generative AI-enabled LG ThinQ platform. This integration aims to create an AI home that delivers optimal space solutions by gaining a deeper understanding of the customer. In LG’s AI home, customers will engage with generative AI, which will manage appliances and IoT devices to create a personalized environment tailored to their preferences.

LG envisions expanding the differentiated customer experience of AI homes to various spaces where customers spend their time, such as commercial spaces and mobility environments, ultimately realizing and advancing the concept of ‘Intelligent Space.’

Athom is a technology company that sells the smart home hub ‘Homey,’ which connects with home appliances and IoT devices, and also offers cloud subscription services. Founded in 2014, ‘Homey’ has expanded primarily in Europe over the past decade, gaining a loyal customer base of hundreds of thousands of users. As of 2023, Homey devices are available in Australia, Singapore, the US and Canada, in addition to Europe. 

Athom has developed its own hub and OS to create an independent smart home ecosystem. Its flagship product, Homey Pro, can connect to more than 50,000 devices and supports various connection methods, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Matter and Thread, making it highly versatile and open.

The Homey App Store, managed by Athom, offers around 1,000 applications for connecting and controlling home devices from brands such as Philips Hue and IKEA. Many of these applications are based on official partnerships, alongside a large number of apps developed by the Homey community. This community of developers actively contributes to Athom’s open platform, continuously expanding the range of brands and devices that can be connected to the hub. Users can easily create a smart home environment by downloading apps from the store and linking their devices.

LG is poised to significantly enhance the scalability required for implementing AI homes, aiming to achieve the highest industry standards. This will be accomplished by integrating its LG ThinQ platform’s smart home technology with Athom’s open ecosystem and IoT device connectivity. The acquisition of Athom is particularly noteworthy, as it will enable LG to incorporate third-party devices and services into its ecosystem. This integration will provide LG with deeper insights into customer usage patterns and expedite the delivery of personalized services.

“The acquisition of Athom is a cornerstone for our AI home business,” said Jung Ki-hyun, executive vice president and head of LG’s Platform Business Center. “By leveraging the synergy between the two companies, we will expand our open ecosystem and external integration services, aiming to provide customers with more diverse and multidimensional space experiences.”

Even after the acquisition, Athom will continue to operate independently, maintaining its business operations and branding. This strategy is designed to maximize Athom’s growth potential and unique strengths while fostering synergies in business, research and development capabilities, and platform utilization.

LG’s introduction of the AI home, which integrates Athom’s open smart home platform with its own AI technology, underscores the company’s commitment to transitioning from a hardware-focused to a software-based platform business. In 2021, LG expanded its TV business from hardware to software by entering the TV platform market with its webOS platform. To support this shift, LG acquired Alphonso, a US-based global technology company specializing in television media, machine learning and big-data analytics. Alphonso now operates as LG Ad Solutions, a core component of the webOS content and service business.

LG aims to establish continuous relationships with customers through numerous devices connected to the AI home, ultimately transforming into a ‘Smart Life Solution Company’ that provides differentiated value.

According to market research firm TechNavio, the global smart home market is projected to grow from USD 81.2 billion in 2023 to USD 260.24 billion by 2028, with an average annual growth rate of 26.23 percent.

“LG is evolving into an intelligent space solutions company that connects and expands experiences in various living spaces. We will continue to make strategic investments to shift our business paradigm, as evidenced by our successive entries into platform-based appliance services and solutions such as the webOS advertising platform and AI home,” said William Cho, CEO of LG Electronics.

About LG Electronics, Inc.
LG Electronics is a global innovator in technology and consumer electronics with a presence in almost every country and an international workforce of more than 74,000. LG’s four companies – Home Appliance & Air Solution, Home Entertainment, Vehicle component Solutions and Business Solutions – combined for global revenue of over KRW 84 trillion in 2023. LG is a leading manufacturer of consumer and commercial products ranging from TVs, home appliances, air solutions, monitors, automotive components and solutions, and its premium LG SIGNATURE and intelligent LG ThinQ brands are familiar names world over. Visit www.LGnewsroom.com for the latest news.

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BEIJING, July 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The China Media Group Voice of the South China Sea released on July 8 its first documentary on the ecological survey of Ren ‘ai Jiao, which is called “Ren’ai Jiao: Teardrop of the Nansha Islands.”

In April 2024, a marine ecological survey team composed of Chinese scientists launched a two-month investigation on the Ren ‘ai Jiao of China’s Nansha Islands. On July 8, based on the survey, the South China Sea Ecology Center and the South China Sea Development Research Institute under the Ministry of Natural Resources released a report on the damage to the coral reef ecosystem of Ren ‘ai Jiao. The report shows that the decaying grounded vessel and associated human activities have caused sustained and cumulative damage to the reef ecosystem on Ren ‘ai Jiao.

The documentary “Ren’ai Jiao: Teardrop of the Nansha Islands” features many interviews of scientists and team members who participated in the remote sensing image collection and on-site investigation. The deadly damage of the decaying grounded vessel on the Ren ‘ai Jiao coral reef ecosystem was restored in the form of HD real image and 3D animation. It analyzed the main reasons for the degradation of the coral reef ecosystem of Ren ‘ai Jiao.

Audiences can learn from the documentary that the population structure of macrobenthic invertebrates in the reef area is unbalanced, with heavy metals, oils and active phosphates in the seawater in the reef area significantly higher than historical records.

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