SKINERGY –Revolutionizing Treatment of Skin Fibrosis with Advanced Medical Technology

Aliform, Medace and DEMCON collaborate in OPZuid supported project of strategic importance to develop new treatments for skin fibrosis.

Aliform B.V., in collaboration with Medace B.V. and DEMCON, is spearheading the innovative SKINERGY project, which focuses on developing a groundbreaking medical technology to treat skin fibrosis. This project, classified as of strategic importance by OPZuid, underscores its critical importance to the region. With a total budget of €2.6 million, the project aims to address the debilitating effects of conditions like lipedema and cellulite, where fibrosis causes the connective tissue strands under the skin to become stiff, leading to impaired skin function and significant physical and mental health issues. The current surgical interventions, while effective, often damage surrounding tissues, limiting their potential. Aliform’s minimally invasive technology offers a promising solution by gently releasing problematic fibrous bands with minimal tissue damage, thereby enhancing treatment safety and effectiveness, improving recovery times, and reducing costs for patients.

Medace plays a pivotal role in this endeavour, leveraging its expertise and state-of-the-art facilities for the development and clinical validation of the technology.  Aliform’s plan to establish prototyping and production facilities in the South Netherlands is a key reason why the SKINERGY project has been recognized as strategically important. By anchoring its operations locally with strong partners, Aliform will create an integrated local ecosystem for medical device innovation. This includes setting up a rapid prototyping lab in collaboration with Demcon to enable fast, iterative development of new technologies such as Lipoleaf, the world’s first tool specifically designed to target fibrosis in lipedema. The facility will also support preclinical testing and optimization of device design, ultimately leading to a clinically ready product. In parallel, Aliform, together with Medace, will build a regional production chain for its Celluleaf® device, shifting from a globally dispersed supply network to a more sustainable and efficient local manufacturing process that meets European (MDR) and U.S. (FDA) regulatory standards. This move is expected to significantly reduce production costs and result in the first large-scale batch of 1,000 Celluleaf® devices. Beyond the immediate benefits of improving access to innovative treatments, these developments will strengthen the local MedTech industry, create high-skilled jobs, and enhance the region’s capacity for end-to-end medical device development—from concept through to clinical validation and commercialization.

The SKINERGY project is poised to make a substantial impact by creating highly skilled jobs, fostering innovation, and promoting collaboration within the medical sector in the South Netherlands. By prioritizing social and economic growth, the consortium partners are committed to making a positive difference for both patients and society. This strategic initiative highlights the importance of sustainable development and the rapid launch of new medical devices, reinforcing the region’s position as a leader in medical technology innovation.