South Korean beauty product maker Cosmax Inc. said on Thursday it has found a new microbe that lives in the human skin for the first time in the world.

The company said its lab has continued research into the role of microorganisms in the skin since 2011 and discovered a new species that lives specifically in the skin of young women aged 20 to 25 years.

On Thursday, shares of Kospi-listed Cosmax closed up 0.85 percent at 179,000 won ($167.37).

The microbe in the form of a short bar plays a role in the supply of essential fatty acid and lipid to the skin. It is a new type of species that was never reported to the scientific community before and can be classified into genera in the taxonomy, the company said.

The microbe with a strain name of EPI-7 is expected to be in the spotlight as a new material to open up a new market for anti-aging product manufactures. The EPI-7 lives in a warm condition similar to body temperature, raising the possibility of applications in mask pack, essence and tone-up cream products, according to the company.

Cosmax is in the process of winning certification for the EPI-7 from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety with a goal of completion by the second half of this year and is preparing for proprietor registration overseas. It will also collaborate with global pharmaceutical firms and customers to shed light on the mechanism of various microbes living in the human skin.

The new discovery was recently published in the International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology.

By Lee Young-wook and Minu Kim

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