History

Phenion is a biotechnological research company founded in 2001 as a public-private partnership by Henkel KGaA, Düsseldorf, and Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany. Further cofounders were six Johann Wolfgang Goethe University professors from various academic fields including dermatology, biochemistry, pharmacy and microbiology. This cooperation model was a pioneering venture at that time in Germany. Its objective was to effectively translate research results in the area of cell physiology into marketable products, thereby strengthening the innovative power of both partners.

Since 2002 Phenion and the six Frankfurt professors have developed, among other concepts, a complex model of the human skin, which has been so successful that it now serves as a basis for new in vitro test methods to study substances that act on the skin. These methods are needed to both develop new skin care products and alternatives to animal testing, in order to assure the safety of products and raw materials.

Since 2006 Phenion has been aided by Henkel researchers in the areas of molecular biology and dermatological studies, and is now being aligned as the Henkel competence center for research in skin physiology and development of in vitro alternatives to animal testing.