Mallia Innovations GmbH announced a strategic restructuring and completion of a €5.5 million seed financing round to advance development of its soluble CD83 (sCD83) protein-based treatments for hair loss. The Erlangen-based company has reorganized into a holding structure with two specialized subsidiaries targeting distinct market segments for hair growth and hair loss therapy.
Corporate Restructuring Creates Focused Development Strategy
The restructuring establishes Mallia Innovations as the holding company for two subsidiaries with differentiated purposes. Mallia Therapeutics GmbH, founded in 2023, continues clinical development of MAL-856 for therapeutic treatment of hair loss conditions including androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. The newly established Mallia Aesthetics GmbH will develop cosmetic applications using MAL-838 for hair growth stimulation.
Dr. Manfred Gröppel, co-founder and Managing Director of Mallia Innovations, stated: "We have worked intensively over the past few months on our strategy, our business model and the associated corporate structure. With the recently completed seed-financing round of €5.5 million, we are ideally positioned to further advance the development of sCD83 for the stimulation of hair growth and therapy of hair loss."
Leadership Expansion Brings Industry Expertise
Dr. Anne Asmuss joined as Managing Director of Mallia Aesthetics, bringing over 28 years of pharmaceutical industry experience from roles at Exeltis, the Hermes Group, Behring and ZS Associates International. She holds extensive experience in business development, license management, and market launch of Rx, OTC and medical device products, with a PhD in immunology from Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg and an MBA from the European Business School and Durham University.
Dr. Stefan Strobl became Managing Director of Mallia Therapeutics alongside Prof. Dr. Alexander Steinkasserer. With more than 25 years in biotechnology, Dr. Strobl previously held senior positions at 4SC and BioNTech, including managing director roles at subsidiaries of both companies. He has managed preclinical development of multiple drug candidates and their transition into clinical trials, with expertise spanning pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, CMC, biomarker analysis, and regulatory affairs.
sCD83 Mechanism Offers Multimodal Approach
The soluble CD83 protein, first identified in 2001 by Mallia co-founder Prof. Dr. Steinkasserer, demonstrates anti-inflammatory properties through induction of inflammation resolution, promoting wound healing and new hair growth. The protein activates regulatory T cells (Tregs) that interact directly with hair follicles, inhibits hair follicle cell death, and directly activates follicular stem cells to stimulate new hair growth.
When applied topically, sCD83 reaches hair follicles directly without penetrating through the skin or entering the bloodstream, providing localized effects that distinguish it from systemic treatments that may cause severe side effects.
Addressing Significant Market Need
Androgenetic alopecia affects more than 70% of men and 50% of women post-menopause worldwide, representing the most common form of hair loss. An additional 147 million people suffer from alopecia areata, an immune-mediated condition causing circular hair loss when the immune system attacks hair follicles.
Dr. Stefan Strobl commented: "Hair loss can have profound emotional and social impact, and we believe that MAL-856 has the potential to become a truly transformative treatment. Mallia is built on approximately 25 years of scientific work by Prof. Dr. Alexander Steinkasserer and his team at Erlangen University Hospital."
Market Entry Timeline and Development Focus
Mallia Aesthetics plans to launch its first cosmetic products in 2025, with Dr. Asmuss noting: "With MAL-838, we have a promising, scientifically proven ingredient that we want to establish quickly and sustainably in the cosmetics market. We aim to make our innovative cosmetic products available to a broad target group – from experts to consumers."
The €5.5 million funding will primarily support development of cosmetic applications through Mallia Aesthetics, while Mallia Therapeutics continues advancing MAL-856 toward clinical development for therapeutic applications. The differentiated approach allows the company to pursue both immediate market opportunities in cosmetics and longer-term therapeutic development simultaneously.
