Thursday, Mar 28, 2024
logo
Update At 14:00    USD/EUR 0,92  ↑+0.0003        USD/JPY 151,36  ↑+0.109        USD/KRW 1.344,08  ↓-3.35        EUR/JPY 163,77  ↑+0.084        Crude Oil 86,32  ↑+0.23        Asia Dow 3.851,93  ↑+13.1        TSE 1.821,50  ↓-10        Japan: Nikkei 225 40.261,70  ↓-501.03        S. Korea: KOSPI 2.755,09  ↓-0.02        China: Shanghai Composite 3.025,89  ↑+32.752        Hong Kong: Hang Seng 16.660,76  ↑+267.92        Singapore: Straits Times 3,25  ↑+0.002        DJIA 22,75  ↑+0.17        Nasdaq Composite 16.399,52  ↑+83.823        S&P 500 5.248,49  ↑+44.91        Russell 2000 2.114,35  ↑+44.186        Stoxx Euro 50 5.081,74  ↑+17.56        Stoxx Europe 600 511,75  ↑+0.66        Germany: DAX 18.477,09  ↑+92.74        UK: FTSE 100 7.931,98  ↑+1.02        Spain: IBEX 35 11.111,30  ↑+119.8        France: CAC 40 8.204,81  ↑+20.06        
PIONEERING JAPANESE TECHNOLOGY

New applications developed for ostrich antibody technology

Interview - March 21, 2017

With less than 7 years of history, Zeal Cosmetics has developed not just a good range of skin care products using the revolutionary ostrich antibody technology, but also applied the benefits of it to an air-linen spray and a dietary supplement for people with diabetes. In partnership with renowned research institutions and professionals, Zeal President and CEO Osamu Maeda is committed to keep providing innovative products that can improve people’s lives.

OSAMU MAEDA, ZEAL PRESIDENT AND CEO
OSAMU MAEDA | ZEAL PRESIDENT AND CEO

What’s unique about Ostrich antibodies and Zeal’s technology?

Ostrich antibody is one of Japan’s most advanced technologies in the field of biomedical technology, invented by Professor Tsukamoto, revolutionizing the beauty and healthcare industry.

Antibody technology has been acknowledged as a next-generation therapy for both its effectiveness and safety, with almost no side-effects as it is naturally produced from the immune system.

Professor Tsukamoto has been studying avian animals for over 15 years. He became especially interested with Ostriches, as it is the largest and fastest running bird on earth. They can live up to 60-65 years and rarely dies from sickness or disease, due to the Ostrich's unique vitality and strong immune system. As a result of his research and development, he invented the antibody extraction system from the Ostrich egg yolk, which will be able to change the world from a beauty and healthcare point of view.

Due to the Ostrich’s strong immune system, its antibodies have a naturally stronger response to the antigen such as bacteria, viruses, allergens and enzymes. They have attributes normal antibodies do not, such as relative heat resistance, which is necessary for manufacturing commercial products that require heat during the sterilization process. Ostrich antibodies are the only antibodies that can survive the manufacturing process and remain active as a skin care product. Also, its resistance to acidity and alkalinity levels enables us to create food supplements as the Ostrich antibody can survive the strong acids of the stomach and remain active in the intestines.

Another benefit of utilizing Ostrich antibodies is that the resource is sustainable and efficient. Since the extraction technology utilizes only the yolk from an unfertilized egg, we are not harming any animal lives. As the size of an Ostrich egg is so large, the sheer volume allows us to lower the cost of the antibody extraction. With mass production capabilities, we have reduced the potential cost from about $4 million to a couple of thousand of dollars per gram. Therefore, Ostrich antibodies are the only viable antibody resource available for mass-market production and use in the world.

ZEAL is the only cosmetics manufacturer that has successfully processed antibodies into commercialized products in the beauty sector. We have strong R&D, which enables us to commercialize the Ostrich antibodies into different types of products. We currently have developed about 30 products, not only as skin care, but also dietary food supplements, oral care and even allergy sprays. Besides Ostrich antibodies, we also developed a very effective nano-sized skin penetration system for treatment ingredients and hydration transportation. This two-pronged system has made ZEAL a unique and groundbreaking force in the beauty industry.

 

How would you describe ZEAL’s approach to skin care problems?

ZEAL's approach is two-fold; first is to safely and effectively remedy the cause of the primary skin symptom, problematic bacteria. Secondly, to introduce leading and proprietary beauty technologies and ingredients to promote the skin's natural health and immune system Together, our technology and formulations help promote naturally healthy looking and beautiful looking skin.

Our skin naturally has high levels of bacteria (skin microbiota), with most bacteria being harmless and some even beneficial to our skin’s health. However, when imbalances occur and certain bacteria grow to unhealthy levels, they can become problematic and cause dryness, inflammation, itching and others on our skin. Our concept first captures problematic bacteria on your skin and helps deny their overgrowth. This allows your skin’s microbiota to stay at a healthy level. Secondly, our triple nano-sized liposome technology effectively helps transports necessary nutrients and moisturizing ingredients deep into the skin’s layers to help revitalize natural skin health.

When we entered into the skin care market with our proprietary Ostrich antibody technology, we positioned ourselves as the solution provider for trouble skin and worked with different recognized authorities to confirm our concept and products. Last year, I attended an important dermatological society conference where there was a report indicating the limitation of the medicines for skin care, with cosmetics potentially being the better solution for problem skin. This report confirmed my concept and philosophy of how to approach skin care problems. Currently, we have a large group of doctors and medical researchers that believe in our approach to utilize antibody technology as an alternative to fungicide and corticosteroid creams that can potentially provide better results without side effects.

In Japan, ZEAL has successfully become the safe and effective alternative, to corticosteroid creams, antibiotics, alcohol and acid treatments, depending upon the customer’s needs, and has become known as the #1 trouble skin care manufacturer in Japan's professional market.

 

Can you explain the difference between the use of antibody and fungicides?

Let me provide two examples of how we have managed to change Japan's professional market standard when it comes to trouble skin.

A problem skin condition that continues to grow around the world and impact our society is eczema, more specifically atopic dermatitis. Eczema is a growing problem in developed countries with 15-30% of children diagnosed with this skin condition. Eczema is very difficult to cure due to the multiple variables and causes associated with it symptoms. Among eczema sufferers, the most troublesome symptom is intense skin itchiness. For these sufferers, intentional and unintentional scratching of the skin leads to worsening of the symptom and overall health of the skin. Our research found that the major cause of itchiness is the toxin from the overgrowth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. We were able to isolate an antibody that we utilize in our AT skin series to counteract this bacteria in all of our series' products. With current methods, the use of corticosteroid creams are common, but it is only able to control inflammation as a symptomatic treatment, but, does not solve the root cause of the problem or promote skin health. Utilizing antibody technology in skin care products on the surface of the skin, we can provide almost immediate relief of eczema and itching symptoms by the capture of S. aureus and by continually maintaining skin microbiota balance. This relief allows the skin to rejuvenate and revitalize, to grow naturally stronger and healthier skin, and in turn, lower the chances and severity of future flare-ups.

Another example is the treatment of acne, a problem not just for teenagers, but more and more so for adults living in developed countries. Traditional acne care products involve the basic idea of disinfection and killing of problematic bacteria, like Propionibacterium acnes and S. aureus bacteria. Traditional methods cannot dictate what bacteria are being killed off, meaning beneficial bacteria are removed as well. By doing so, further imbalances occur and the skin's natural defense systems are weakened, worsening acne skin problems. With ZEAL acne products, we are able to target the specific bacteria, disallowing overgrowth and allowing beneficial bacteria to continue to flourish to do its job in locking-in moisture and protecting the skin from external factors.

 

How are Ostrich antibodies applicable to other aspects of our lives?

Ostrich antibody is a diverse and amazing technology that can be applied to numerous industries due to its mass production capability and design-ability. In addition to skin care, we have also produced an air/linen spray that can capture house dust mite allergens, this is important as there is a misconception of house dust mites. Common knowledge presumes we are allergic to the living dust mite itself but in reality we are only allergic to their digestive enzyme which is present in their feces and dead bodies. Thus, traditional methods of removing dust mites actually do not have much effect, rather the use of antibodies to capture these allergens are the most effective method to improve your allergy-caused atopic dermatitis, asthma, sneezing and other symptoms.

We also have a mist spray that targets different types of pollen-based allergies. This is actually the season of pollen-caused allergies in Japan, and you will see many people with watery eyes and runny nose because of pollen.

We also studied how we can apply the Ostrich antibodies to people with diabetes and came up with a dietary supplement that captures digestive enzymes in our intestines to inhibit the breakdown and absorption of glucose and fats from foods we eat. This application helps assist in the lowering of glucose levels and triglyceride levels as evidenced by Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Aesthetic Medicine Utilizing Antibodies.

We started with skin care to solve the skin problems, but we are actually a lifestyle care company to support beauty and health by improving outer (skin care), inner (food supplement) and environment (air spray). You cannot just improve your skin’s health with skin care products; it is also important to eat healthy. To help with dietary needs, we have developed a food supplement. Another aspect is our living environment, as allergens in the air can also affect the skin, and as such, we have created the air/linen spray.  Our company name is ZEAL Cosmetics, but our Ostrich antibody technology has far-reaching applications.

 

How’s the trend of the Japanese aging and shrinking population affecting ZEAL’s strategy?

Japan's aging and shrinking population is definitely a trend that needs to be considered in our overall strategy but in reality, the effect is very positive for us. As our products are designed to deliver results to specific problems, our target markets are actually growing. The aging population demands anti-aging products, urbanization demands problem skin solutions, gluttony demands dietary supplements and various other needs.

Similarly, even with population decline in Japan, the actual amount of eczema and atopic dermatitis (AD) sufferers has risen, especially in children, where approximately 20% have AD or eczema skin trouble. With our focus on specific markets and clienteles, we are still able to grow even when larger market factors are shrinking.

 

Could you tell us more about ZEAL’s collaboration with other doctors and research institutes?

We have heavily invested in research and development of both our technologies and our products. We would like to expand our opportunities to work with renowned research institutions around the world to expand the knowledge and use of Ostrich antibody technology.

Besides our joint research collaboration with Professor Tsukamoto, we have a collaborative study with the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine curriculum, Department of Aesthetic Medicine Utilizing Antibodies. We work closely with top medical doctors in Japan in different professions such as Professor Kou Hosokawa, President of Japan’s society of plastic surgery and Chief Professor at Osaka University School of Medicine, Dr. Akiyoshi Takada, the only Educational Director at two of Japan’s aesthetic surgeon associations, Dr. Masao Yamazaki is the pioneer of aesthetic dentistry and founder and director of The Society of Japan Clinical Dentistry, Dr. Soutaro Kurata, a renowned specialist in hair restoration.

These doctors and others both believe and accept the application of antibodies and are eager to partner with us to develop revolutionary products in each of their fields. ZEAL is recognized and trusted by Japan's medical community as a leading innovator by our ability to utilize ostrich antibody technology to a vast array of industries and uses.

Internationally, we have collaborations with Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology under A*STAR (Singapore’s Agency of Science, Technology and Research) with a current focus on dengue fever.

 

What are you targeting in terms of your R&D investment compared to other competitors?

Obviously, we invest heavily in R&D for Ostrich antibodies, but at the same time, we also focus on R&D of new ingredients and formulation technologies to further our scientific approach to health and beauty care. We believe in developing new technologies that garner safe and realistic results rather than utilizing marketing strategies to “re-package” old technologies.

One technology we have improved on compared to market standards is our nano-sized capsule skin penetration system, this is very important for skin care products as the effectiveness of your product largely depends on how successful you can transport active beauty ingredients to the different layers of the skin.

We have also developed the world's first water-soluble sunscreen gel through extensive R&D. This sunscreen is unique as it does not utilize silicon, chemical and/or oil ingredients making it stress-free for your skin. For individuals with trouble skin, this is a safe and must-have item!

We will continue to develop new formulations and technologies to push the standards of skin care and provide safer and more effective products for our clients.

 

Studies nowadays show a correlation with people that are affected by skin problems and lower levels of self-confidence. What would you say are the long-term benefits of your products for your customers?

I believe that is true to some degree, as we have received large amounts of feedback directly from the end user thanking us for the way we have changed their outlook on life. With our focus on trouble skin such as heavy atopic dermatitis or heavy acne, where a definite cure is not available, our skin care has become a viable long term solution for them in boosting their confidence and in turn, their outlook on life. With trouble skin sufferers, self-confidence is almost always an issue, and with long-term sufferers it really affects their social life. We will continue to review, advance and develop existing and new products to enrich the lives of our customers. As such, I am always thinking of new ways to utilize Ostrich antibodies not just for skin care, but all aspects of our lives to make the world a safer and healthier place.

 

What are some of your plans moving forward in 2017?

We have three big movements for 2017.

Firstly, we are in development of a hair growth solution utilizing Ostrich antibody technology. Through scientific research, it is known fact that a major factor in balding is due to an enzyme that hinders the growth of hair. Actually, every professional knows this, but no one has an effective solution to it. With antibody technology, we have developed a revolutionary, safe and effective solution by capturing this problematic enzyme and limit its impact on hair loss to help promote hair growth. We have already completed laboratory tests with nude mice, applying the test product on them, and successfully made them grow fur! We have also carried out a small amount of successful tests on humans and the results are very positive with no side effects seen. We are planning for this product launch in the 3rd quarter of 2017.

Secondly, collaborations with Hong Kong Science Technology Park (HKSTP) will begin in April 2017. Ostrich antibody technology will be the first biomedical technology from Japan to be housed in HKSTP. This partnership will be with government hospitals and elderly homes in Hong Kong for clinical studies as well as collaborating with research centers in national universities to be coordinated by HKSTP.  We also initiated partnerships with a major global financial group, using Hong Kong as the financial hub for future product developments. This is our first major step towards the global market with international partners and we believe it will be very successful.

Thirdly, we will launch a new international skin care company. The ZEAL brand will continue to focus on trouble skin, while the new brand will focus on broader international market demand products. With the US market being the largest market in the world and the benchmark for international lifestyle brands, we will focus our efforts there first, with a launch date set for late 2017 with a revolutionary anti-aging solution. With the US market being a mature skin care market where innovations and results are appreciated, we believe this will be a perfect match with our unique technology. 

By successfully penetrating this market and building brand awareness, it will create a launch platform for expansion into other major international markets and become a global brand.

For this new brand we have formed strategic partnerships including Tom Winarick, an expert with over 30 years of experience in the US cosmetic sector in multi-distribution channels, as well as TF Cheng who has 20 years experience in global financial and investment services. I have confidence that the US market will be welcoming of our Ostrich antibody technology.

 

Are you looking for new partners and investors to further expand in the US market?

For the US market, we will begin with skin care, but are also open to new partners and strategic investors to join us in our efforts to develop new businesses using Ostrich antibody technology in the beauty and healthcare sectors. I believe it is ideal to keep an open mind and consider new ideas and applications of antibody technology to create a more dynamic business.

We have already established ourselves in Asian markets and can provide market entry for new US partners and their products. We believe establishing mutually beneficial partnerships from both operational and financial standpoints will lead to long term success for both parties.

 

Could you tell us more about ZEAL’s partnership with the Better Future Foundation?

As a commercial company, ZEAL is responsible for commercializing and optimizing the use of antibodies for monetary gains, but at the same time I believe we have a responsibility to society and provide antibody technology for those in need and also to further research and develop antibody technology for the betterment of world health. To achieve this, we have partnered with Better Future Foundation (BFF) to broaden the use of antibody technology with no restraint on monetary costs.

Better Future Foundation assists to promote research and development of Ostrich antibodies, by collaborating with different research institutes around the world. As already mentioned, ZEAL has begun collaborative research on Dengue Fever in Singapore.  This is for data testing and analysis in order to commercialize the prevention for Dengue Fever. We will increase this type of collaboration with BFF as each region in the world has different infectious diseases and/or viruses and as such, we must develop research collaborations with institutes around the world to develop viable solutions for these problems. Together with BFF, we are trying to make the world a safer and healthier place to live for all.

One BFF campaign I truly believe in and fully support is the Amechan CAN-D School Campaign, with a focus on providing children in underprivileged regions of the world a healthy childhood and education. This campaign is already underway and we have implemented two medical missions in Smokey Mountains, Manila, which was one of the largest slums in the world where children worked through the waste dumps collecting materials for food. Even with the removal of the waste dump, the community is still suffering from infectious diseases due to the poor hygienic conditions and contaminated water and food sources. ZEAL together with BFF and a local medical doctor team will provide project analysis, data gathering, R&D of antibodies and manufacturing of antibody products for distribution in the effected regions. Even with the lack of governmental support and changes in living conditions, we will be able to make a difference by utilizing antibodies to actively prevent the spread of infectious diseases. I hope we can assist to make a positive and lasting impact on the lives of children around the world and provide them with an opportunity for a better future.

 

What would you like the name of ZEAL Cosmetics to be associated with as a global brand?

I would like ZEAL Cosmetics to be recognized as an innovative total healthcare and healthy lifestyle provider that is known for delivering safe and effective solutions. I believe with our Ostrich antibody technology we can achieve this and become a dependable and trustworthy global brand.

 

What’s unique about Ostrich antibodies and ZEAL’s technology?

Ostrich antibody is one of Japan’s most advanced technologies in the field of biomedical technology, invented by Professor Tsukamoto, revolutionizing the beauty and healthcare industry.

Antibody technology has been acknowledged as a next-generation therapy for both its effectiveness and safety, with almost no side-effects as it is naturally produced from the immune system.

Professor Tsukamoto has been studying avian animals for over 15 years. He became especially interested with Ostriches, as it is the largest and fastest running bird on earth. They can live up to 60-65 years and rarely dies from sickness or disease, due to the Ostrich's unique vitality and strong immune system. As a result of his research and development, he invented the antibody extraction system from the Ostrich egg yolk, which will be able to change the world from a beauty and healthcare point of view.

Due to the Ostrich’s strong immune system, its antibodies have a naturally stronger response to the antigen such as bacteria, viruses, allergens and enzymes. They have attributes normal antibodies do not, such as relative heat resistance, which is necessary for manufacturing commercial products that require heat during the sterilization process. Ostrich antibodies are the only antibodies that can survive the manufacturing process and remain active as a skin care product. Also, its resistance to acidity and alkalinity levels enables us to create food supplements as the Ostrich antibody can survive the strong acids of the stomach and remain active in the intestines.

Another benefit of utilizing Ostrich antibodies is that the resource is sustainable and efficient. Since the extraction technology utilizes only the yolk from an unfertilized egg, we are not harming any animal lives. As the size of an Ostrich egg is so large, the sheer volume allows us to lower the cost of the antibody extraction. With mass production capabilities, we have reduced the potential cost from about $4 million to a couple of thousand of dollars per gram. Therefore, Ostrich antibodies are the only viable antibody resource available for mass-market production and use in the world.

ZEAL is the only cosmetics manufacturer that has successfully processed antibodies into commercialized products in the beauty sector. We have strong R&D, which enables us to commercialize the Ostrich antibodies into different types of products. We currently have developed about 30 products, not only as skin care, but also dietary food supplement, oral care and even allergy sprays. Besides Ostrich antibodies, we also developed a very effective nano-sized skin penetration system for treatment ingredients and hydration transportation. This two-pronged system has made ZEAL a unique and groundbreaking force in the beauty industry.

 

How would you describe ZEAL’s approach to skin care problems?

ZEAL's approach is two-fold; first is to safely and effectively remedy the cause of the primary skin symptom, problematic bacteria. Secondly, to introduce leading and proprietary beauty technologies and ingredients to promote the skin's natural health and immune system Together, our technology and formulations help promote naturally healthy looking and beautiful looking skin.

Our skin naturally has high levels of bacteria (skin microbiota), with most bacteria being harmless and some even beneficial to our skin’s health. However, when imbalances occur and certain bacteria grow to unhealthy levels, they can become problematic and cause dryness, inflammation, itching and others on our skin. Our concept first captures problematic bacteria on your skin and helps deny their overgrowth. This allows your skin’s microbiota to stay at a healthy level. Secondly, our triple nano-sized liposome technology effectively helps transports necessary nutrients and moisturizing ingredients deep into the skin’s layers to help revitalize natural skin health.

When we entered into the skin care market with our proprietary Ostrich antibody technology, we positioned ourselves as the solution provider for trouble skin and worked with different recognized authorities to confirm our concept and products. Last year, I attended an important dermatological society conference where there was a report indicating the limitation of the medicines for skin care, with cosmetics potentially being the better solution for problem skin. This report confirmed my concept and philosophy of how to approach skin care problems. Currently, we have a large group of doctors and medical researchers that believe in our approach to utilize antibody technology as an alternative to fungicide and corticosteroid creams that can potentially provide better results without side effects.

In Japan, ZEAL has successfully become the safe and effective alternative, to corticosteroid creams, antibiotics, alcohol and acid treatments, depending upon the customer’s needs, and has become known as the #1 trouble skin care manufacturer in Japan's professional market.

 

Can you explain the difference between the use of antibody and fungicides?

Let me provide two examples of how we have managed to change Japan's professional market standard when it comes to trouble skin.

A problem skin condition that continues to grow around the world and impact our society is eczema, more specifically atopic dermatitis. Eczema is a growing problem in developed countries with 15-30% of children diagnosed with this skin condition. Eczema is very difficult to cure due to the multiple variables and causes associated with it symptoms. Among eczema sufferers, the most troublesome symptom is intense skin itchiness. For these sufferers, intentional and unintentional scratching of the skin leads to worsening of the symptom and overall health of the skin. Our research found that the major cause of itchiness is the toxin from the overgrowth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. We were able to isolate an antibody that we utilize in our AT skin series to counteract this bacteria in all of our series' products. With current methods, the use of corticosteroid creams are common, but it is only able to control inflammation as a symptomatic treatment, but, does not solve the root cause of the problem or promote skin health. Utilizing antibody technology in skin care products on the surface of the skin, we can provide almost immediate relief of eczema and itching symptoms by the capture of S. aureus and by continually maintaining skin microbiota balance. This relief allows the skin to rejuvenate and revitalize, to grow naturally stronger and healthier skin, and in turn, lower the chances and severity of future flare-ups.

Another example is the treatment of acne, a problem not just for teenagers, but more and more so for adults living in developed countries. Traditional acne care products involve the basic idea of disinfection and killing of problematic bacteria, like Propionibacterium acnes and S. aureus bacteria. Traditional methods cannot dictate what bacteria are being killed off, meaning beneficial bacteria are removed as well. By doing so, further imbalances occur and the skin's natural defense systems are weakened, worsening acne skin problems. With ZEAL acne products, we are able to target the specific bacteria, disallowing overgrowth and allowing beneficial bacteria to continue to flourish to do its job in locking-in moisture and protecting the skin from external factors.

 

How are Ostrich antibodies applicable to other aspects of our lives?

Ostrich antibody is a diverse and amazing technology that can be applied to numerous industries due to its mass production capability and design-ability. In addition to skin care, we have also produced an air/linen spray that can capture house dust mite allergens, this is important as there is a misconception of house dust mites. Common knowledge presumes we are allergic to the living dust mite itself but in reality we are only allergic to their digestive enzyme which is present in their feces and dead bodies. Thus, traditional methods of removing dust mites actually do not have much effect, rather the use of antibodies to capture these allergens are the most effective method to improve your allergy-caused atopic dermatitis, asthma, sneezing and other symptoms.

We also have a mist spray that targets different types of pollen-based allergies. This is actually the season of pollen-caused allergies in Japan, and you will see many people with watery eyes and runny nose because of pollen.

We also studied how we can apply the Ostrich antibodies to people with diabetes and came up with a dietary supplement that captures digestive enzymes in our intestines to inhibit the breakdown and absorption of glucose and fats from foods we eat. This application helps assist in the lowering of glucose levels and triglyceride levels as evidenced by Osaka University, Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Aesthetic Medicine Utilizing Antibodies.

We started with skin care to solve the skin problems, but we are actually a lifestyle care company to support beauty and health by improving outer (skin care), inner (food supplement) and environment (air spray). You cannot just improve your skin’s health with skin care products; it is also important to eat healthy. To help with dietary needs, we have developed a food supplement. Another aspect is our living environment, as allergens in the air can also affect the skin, and as such, we have created the air/linen spray.  Our company name is ZEAL Cosmetics, but our Ostrich antibody technology has far-reaching applications.

 

How’s the trend of the Japanese aging and shrinking population affecting ZEAL’s strategy?

Japan's aging and shrinking population is definitely a trend that needs to be considered in our overall strategy but in reality, the effect is very positive for us. As our products are designed to deliver results to specific problems, our target markets are actually growing. The aging population demands anti-aging products, urbanization demands problem skin solutions, gluttony demands dietary supplements and various other needs.

Similarly, even with population decline in Japan, the actual amount of eczema and atopic dermatitis (AD) sufferers has risen, especially in children, where approximately 20% have AD or eczema skin trouble. With our focus on specific markets and clienteles, we are still able to grow even when larger market factors are shrinking.

 

Could you tell us more about ZEAL’s collaboration with other doctors and research institutes?

We have heavily invested in research and development of both our technologies and our products. We would like to expand our opportunities to work with renowned research institutions around the world to expand the knowledge and use of Ostrich antibody technology.

Besides our joint research collaboration with Professor Tsukamoto, we have a collaborative study with the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine curriculum, Department of Aesthetic Medicine Utilizing Antibodies. We work closely with top medical doctors in Japan in different professions such as Professor Kou Hosokawa, President of Japan’s society of plastic surgery and Chief Professor at Osaka University School of Medicine, Dr. Akiyoshi Takada, the only Educational Director at two of Japan’s aesthetic surgeon associations, Dr. Masao Yamazaki is the pioneer of aesthetic dentistry and founder and director of The Society of Japan Clinical Dentistry, Dr. Soutaro Kurata, a renowned specialist in hair restoration.

These doctors and others both believe and accept the application of antibodies and are eager to partner with us to develop revolutionary products in each of their fields. ZEAL is recognized and trusted by Japan's medical community as a leading innovator by our ability to utilize ostrich antibody technology to a vast array of industries and uses.

Internationally, we have collaborations with Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology under A*STAR (Singapore’s Agency of Science, Technology and Research) with a current focus on dengue fever.

 

What are you targeting in terms of your R&D investment compared to other competitors?

Obviously, we invest heavily in R&D for Ostrich antibodies, but at the same time, we also focus on R&D of new ingredients and formulation technologies to further our scientific approach to health and beauty care. We believe in developing new technologies that garner safe and realistic results rather than utilizing marketing strategies to “re-package” old technologies.

One technology we have improved on compared to market standards is our nano-sized capsule skin penetration system, this is very important for skin care products as the effectiveness of your product largely depends on how successful you can transport active beauty ingredients to the different layers of the skin.

We have also developed the world's first water-soluble sunscreen gel through extensive R&D. This sunscreen is unique as it does not utilize silicon, chemical and/or oil ingredients making it stress-free for your skin. For individuals with trouble skin, this is a safe and must-have item!

We will continue to develop new formulations and technologies to push the standards of skin care and provide safer and more effective products for our clients.

 

Studies nowadays show a correlation with people that are affected by skin problems and lower levels of self-confidence. What would you say are the long-term benefits of your products for your customers?

I believe that is true to some degree, as we have received large amounts of feedback directly from the end user thanking us for the way we have changed their outlook on life. With our focus on trouble skin such as heavy atopic dermatitis or heavy acne, where a definite cure is not available, our skin care has become a viable long term solution for them in boosting their confidence and in turn, their outlook on life. With trouble skin sufferers, self-confidence is almost always an issue, and with long-term sufferers it really affects their social life. We will continue to review, advance and develop existing and new products to enrich the lives of our customers. As such, I am always thinking of new ways to utilize Ostrich antibodies not just for skin care, but all aspects of our lives to make the world a safer and healthier place.

 

What are some of your plans moving forward in 2017?

We have three big movements for 2017.

Firstly, we are in development of a hair growth solution utilizing Ostrich antibody technology. Through scientific research, it is known fact that a major factor in balding is due to an enzyme that hinders the growth of hair. Actually, every professional knows this, but no one has an effective solution to it. With antibody technology, we have developed a revolutionary, safe and effective solution by capturing this problematic enzyme and limit its impact on hair loss to help promote hair growth. We have already completed laboratory tests with nude mice, applying the test product on them, and successfully made them grow fur! We have also carried out a small amount of successful tests on humans and the results are very positive with no side effects seen. We are planning for this product launch in the 3rd quarter of 2017.

Secondly, collaborations with Hong Kong Science Technology Park (HKSTP) will begin in April 2017. Ostrich antibody technology will be the first biomedical technology from Japan to be housed in HKSTP. This partnership will be with government hospitals and elderly homes in Hong Kong for clinical studies as well as collaborating with research centers in national universities to be coordinated by HKSTP.  We also initiated partnerships with a major global financial group, using Hong Kong as the financial hub for future product developments. This is our first major step towards the global market with international partners and we believe it will be very successful.

Thirdly, we will launch a new international skin care company. The ZEAL brand will continue to focus on trouble skin, while the new brand will focus on broader international market demand products. With the US market being the largest market in the world and the benchmark for international lifestyle brands, we will focus our efforts there first, with a launch date set for late 2017 with a revolutionary anti-aging solution. With the US market being a mature skin care market where innovations and results are appreciated, we believe this will be a perfect match with our unique technology.

By successfully penetrating this market and building brand awareness, it will create a launch platform for expansion into other major international markets and become a global brand.

For this new brand we have formed strategic partnerships including Tom Winarick, an expert with over 30 years of experience in the US cosmetic sector in multi-distribution channels, as well as TF Cheng who has 20 years experience in global financial and investment services. I have confidence that the US market will be welcoming of our Ostrich antibody technology.

 

Are you looking for new partners and investors to further expand in the US market?

For the US market, we will begin with skin care, but are also open to new partners and strategic investors to join us in our efforts to develop new businesses using Ostrich antibody technology in the beauty and healthcare sectors. I believe it is ideal to keep an open mind and consider new ideas and applications of antibody technology to create a more dynamic business.

We have already established ourselves in Asian markets and can provide market entry for new US partners and their products. We believe establishing mutually beneficial partnerships from both operational and financial standpoints will lead to long term success for both parties.

 

Could you tell us more about ZEAL’s partnership with the Better Future Foundation?

As a commercial company, ZEAL is responsible for commercializing and optimizing the use of antibodies for monetary gains, but at the same time I believe we have a responsibility to society and provide antibody technology for those in need and also to further research and develop antibody technology for the betterment of world health. To achieve this, we have partnered with Better Future Foundation (BFF) to broaden the use of antibody technology with no restraint on monetary costs.

Better Future Foundation assists to promote research and development of Ostrich antibodies, by collaborating with different research institutes around the world. As already mentioned, ZEAL has begun collaborative research on Dengue Fever in Singapore.  This is for data testing and analysis in order to commercialize the prevention for Dengue Fever. We will increase this type of collaboration with BFF as each region in the world has different infectious diseases and/or viruses and as such, we must develop research collaborations with institutes around the world to develop viable solutions for these problems. Together with BFF, we are trying to make the world a safer and healthier place to live for all.

One BFF campaign I truly believe in and fully support is the Amechan CAN-D School Campaign, with a focus on providing children in underprivileged regions of the world a healthy childhood and education. This campaign is already underway and we have implemented two medical missions in Smokey Mountains, Manila, which was one of the largest slums in the world where children worked through the waste dumps collecting materials for food. Even with the removal of the waste dump, the community is still suffering from infectious diseases due to the poor hygienic conditions and contaminated water and food sources. ZEAL together with BFF and a local medical doctor team will provide project analysis, data gathering, R&D of antibodies and manufacturing of antibody products for distribution in the effected regions. Even with the lack of governmental support and changes in living conditions, we will be able to make a difference by utilizing antibodies to actively prevent the spread of infectious diseases. I hope we can assist to make a positive and lasting impact on the lives of children around the world and provide them with an opportunity for a better future.

 

What would you like the name of ZEAL Cosmetics to be associated with as a global brand?

I would like ZEAL Cosmetics to be recognized as an innovative total healthcare and healthy lifestyle provider that is known for delivering safe and effective solutions. I believe with our Ostrich antibody technology we can achieve this and become a dependable and trustworthy global brand.

 


Tom Winarick, President of Palladio Beauty, is no stranger to the cosmetic industry. His grandfather, Arthur Winarick, was a Russian immigrant who settled on the Lower East Side of Manhattan and became a barber who would go on to create one of the most iconic beauty products in America - Jeris Hair Tonic. Known for its neon-green formula, Jeris was formulated in the bathtub of Arthur Winarick’s apartment. He began selling it to local barbers within the Russian and Jewish communities, and eventually produced hair tonic and shaving lotions when he founded A.R. Winarick Inc. Jeris is still produced today under Clubman. After World War II, Tom Winarick’s father, Jules Winarick, became heavily involved in A.R. Winarick Inc. and began expanding and acquiring several beauty brands. (From: http://beautystorebusiness.com/features-palladio-beauty-readies-global-takeover)


 

The United States is the biggest cosmetic market in the world, and by 2018, the skin care market will reach nearly $11 billion. Since the early twentieth century, the production of cosmetics has been controlled by a handful of multi-national corporations. What would you say are the challenges for young companies competing in this aggressive market? What are these companies adding to the market?

With retail consolidation in the US, the brick-and-mortar distribution channel is now also in the hands of a few major retail companies. So this compounds the issue by creating a “Land of the Giants”! The brand incubators of retail are almost non-existent anymore, so the big challenge is convincing a major retailer to believe in your concept and brand and give you “the shot.” TV shopping and e-commerce are often the best initial opportunity for a new brand.

For a new company to succeed, the brand must have a true story and a point of difference. Founder-lead brands are winning today because they are genuine and stand for something in addition to just having great products. This is what is resonating with the consumer today.

 

What would you say are the 3 strengths of Zeal Cosmetics that will allow them gain market share in the US?

We have a true technological advantage that is so unique and effective. It’s an evolutionary story and with the support of the research that has gone into the technology, our story tells itself.

Beside the products actually working, we have genuine ethos that are vital to gaining the consumer’s trust to try the products for that very first time.

Asian brands are hot! There is such respect for skin and the emphasis on skin health and beauty that the US consumer has fully embraced.

 

Which products from the whole range of Zeal Cosmetics you see with more potential to grow within the US 
market? Why?

The anti-aging products have the most potential because they also combat help protect against the ever-growing issue of pollution and environmental stress and its negative effect on skin. 


 

Coming from a family that has a long history in the cosmetics industry, what would you say makes Zeal Cosmetics different from other brands in the US?

The technology first and foremost. The extent of research and respect for the technology and its positive effects not just for beauty products, but how it can benefit humanity on a much bigger scale is very impressive and quite frankly sorely missing by US brands.

 

What made you become their US partner?

Osamu and his team possess a passion for their technology and products that are contagious, no doubt. I’m a believer and think we will be successful in launching and growing this unique brand.

 

Personal remark/experience in the cosmetic industry

The industry is moving at a pace that I have never seen before.  Today, it’s about connecting with the consumer on a more personal level. The coveted Millennial consumer doesn’t respond to traditional advertising. It’s more than the product for sure. The ethos of the company, the story behind the brand, what the company does to give back…these are what matter to the consumer today. If you are missing any one of these important pillars, the deck is stacked against you.  We are able to speak directly with the consumer via TV shopping and social media so she/he knows who we are and what we stand for in addition to how great our products are!

  0 COMMENTS