EternoGen

About EternoGen

EternoGen Aesthetics, LLC operated as a clinical-stage medical biotechnology firm focused on the aesthetic and dermatology markets. The company was established in 2009 as a spin-off from the University of Missouri, founded by an academic research group led by Professor Sheila Grant, a recognized authority in biomaterials. The business was centered around developing and manufacturing advanced collagen scaffolds for soft tissue therapeutic applications, specifically targeting the multi-billion dollar global facial injectable market.

The company's core technology was its Rapid Polymerizing Collagen (RPC) platform, designed to function as a next-generation dermal filler. This product, which was to be branded as Cellifique®, was an injectable liquid collagen that, upon contact with tissue, would form a natural collagen scaffold. This process was designed to immediately lift wrinkled skin and restore dermal tissue lost with age. A key technological aspect involved the use of gold nanoparticles to stabilize the collagen, which was intended to inhibit degradation and provide a longer-lasting effect of up to two years. The scaffold would be slowly resorbed by the body while promoting dermal cells to infill the structure, forming new natural tissue.

EternoGen's business model was primarily focused on research and development, leveraging expertise in material science and biological engineering to advance its product pipeline. The company secured significant funding to support its operations, raising a total of $8.92 million over six rounds. Key investments included a $1.065 million round in 2013, which involved entities like the Missouri Technology Corporation and Centennial Investors, and a major $5 million Series A round in November 2015. These funds were aimed at advancing human studies and preparing for commercialization in Europe, with plans to launch in 2016 and 2017, followed by entry into Asian and US markets. The company established offices in St. Louis and Sweden and later at the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) to be near its manufacturing partners. Despite its developments and funding, EternoGen is now listed as a deadpooled company, having ceased operations around February 2019.