Kraków-based Melanos Care, which produces bioidentical melanin for skin protection and pigmentation control, has secured €1.3 million (PLN 5.4 million). The funding, led by Hard2beat, will be used to scale melanin production to pilot level, advance R&D, and complete certification processes, as Vestbee was informed.
- Melanos Care is a biotechnology company spun off from the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, led by Prof. Marcin Majka and Dr. Piotr Sznelewski. It focuses on producing bioidentical human melanin and developing active ingredients for skin protection and pigmentation management. The company operates two proprietary technology platforms.
- The first platform uses induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to generate natural human melanin and exosomes. This approach addresses traditional challenges in synthetic melanin production, providing improved solubility, bioavailability, and cost-effective scalability.
- A single application of the resulting biomelanin can provide UV protection and antioxidant activity for up to 14 days, as the pigment binds directly to keratinocytes in the epidermis and remains effective until natural exfoliation. The process is fully biodegradable and does not rely on genetic modification.
- The second platform is based on a cinnamic acid derivative designed to reduce hyperpigmentation. In laboratory 3D skin models, this compound reduced melanin content by 56.48%, outperforming a global market-leading patented product, which reduced it by 67.33% relative to control, and demonstrating targeted inhibition of melanin synthesis without observable cytotoxicity.
Details of the deal
- The investment round was led by Hard2beat, a €20 million Polish deeptech VC, contributing PLN 3 million, alongside 10 business angels who invested a total of PLN 2.4 million.
“We believe this technology not only solves real consumer problems with unprecedented effectiveness, replacing the need to reapply sunscreen every 2–3 hours with safe protection lasting up to 14 days, but also has the potential to create an entirely new category within the beauty market,” says Konrad Trzyna, Managing Partner at Hard2beat.
- The fresh funding will be used to scale the production of bioidentical melanin to pilot level, advance ongoing research and development, complete necessary certification processes, and support the development of the company’s direct-to-consumer dermocosmetic products, including depigmentation formulations based on technology licensed from the Jagiellonian University.
