Kokuma, which is based on medtech and pharmaceutical expertise with a mix of AI-driven research has spent two years on intensive R&D to create novel and unique active ingredients for melanin management.
Its team of scientific experts have garnered plenty of experience in leading medical and cosmetics companies and have now taken this knowledge to create cosmetics ingredients that have already demonstrated efficacy in ex-vivo and in-vivo testing.
We spoke to CEO and co-founder Alexandre Jouve who has a background in pharmaceutical development at Sanofi and Servier, as well as a track record of scaling biotech and medtech startups.
Jouve founded the company with chief scientific officer Yannick Quesnel, Ph.D who has a plethora of expertise in chemistry and biopharma/tech and a “profound understanding of physiological pathways.”
The two are joined by board member and operational advisor Olivier Fontaine who has spent over 30 years in leadership roles at L’Oréal, The Estée Lauder Companies, and Pierre Fabre.
Cosmetics Design-Europe (CDE): Can you tell us more about these novel ingredients?
Alexandre Jouve (AJ): Tonasulike-D is a natural compound isolated using AI, validated ex-vivo, and shown to reduce melanin production by up to 86% in in-vitro tests. It targets hyperpigmentation, offering a safer, science-backed solution.
This ingredient is ideal for creams and serums, designed to visibly lighten age spots and pigmentation, ensuring a smooth and even skin tone.
Tonasulike-P is a clinically validated active ingredient that doubles melanin production ex-vivo without sun exposure, providing a long-lasting, natural glow. As the world’s first UV-free melanin booster, it is naturally derived and safe, making it ideal for skincare products and active makeup formulations.
We also have a robust pipeline of future ingredients targeting anti-ageing and other advanced skin care innovations, all of which are designed to meet the highest international standards of efficacy and safety.
CDE: What’s different or disruptive about the ingredients you are creating at Kokuma?
AJ: We leverage skin cell physiology, ensuring exceptional results and superior safety profiles. The cosmetic industry often relies on traditional mechanisms of action like tyrosinase inhibitors, which have safety concerns, and alpha-MSH analogues, which often lack performance. Kokuma challenges these norms by providing cutting-edge, science-driven solutions.
Our ingredients redefine skin tone management by addressing unmet needs in the cosmetics industry, offering effective and safe alternatives to controversial ingredients like hydroquinone. Their versatility makes them suitable for a wide range of formulations, from skin care, skin tone correctors to active makeup and beyond.
CDE: You’ve spent two years on R&D, what have you been doing in this time frame?
AJ: We have brought rigorous innovation processes from biotech and pharmaceutical industries to the cosmetic ingredient market.
Led by our CSO we discovered a breakthrough involving a trio of associations between receptors, melanocytes, and proteins. This innovative approach applies advanced biotech methodologies, delivering solutions that meet consumer needs with unmatched efficacy.
CDE: How have you been working with AI, medtech and pharma?
AJ: We operate from the Charleroi Biopark in Belgium, a European biotech hub that fosters innovation and collaboration among hundreds of companies and pharmaceutical experts. By leveraging predictive testing and data modelling of thousands of compounds, Kokuma ensures optimal performance and adherence to global safety standards.
The integration of AI-driven research with biotech expertise enables us to develop groundbreaking solutions for skin health.
Our ingredients reflect our unwavering commitment to scientific rigour, setting new benchmarks for efficacy and safety.
Kokuma’s position as a beauty biotech startup allows it to bring innovations to market faster than traditional industry timelines. By operating within Europe’s leading biopark, Kokuma benefits from a collaborative biotech ecosystem that strengthens its scientific foundation.
Post-Covid, consumers are shifting their focus toward results-driven solutions that go beyond the latest market trend. Our scientifically validated innovations respond to this demand, redefining skin tone management with game-changing efficacy.
