After Abdel-Malek’s lab identified the sFRP1 pathway, KOSÉ scientists searched for ingredients that could boost its expression. The researchers also found that Green Rooibos extract, an extract from the plant Aspalathus linearis, can increase sFRP1 production in skin fibroblasts, thereby restoring the pigment-inhibiting signal.
This finding enabled KOSÉ to develop a new cosmetic product targeting age spots, with potential broader applications for hyperpigmentary conditions like melasma, which disproportionately affects Asians, Latinos, and Middle Eastern communities.
Working in tandem with the UC Office of Technology Transfer, located within the 1819 Innovation Hub, KOSÉ filed a patent application in Japan, naming Abdel-Malek as a co-inventor for the development of the product, which officially launched in January 2026.
The role of technology transfer is to ensure that impactful research doesn’t stop at discovery,” says Geoffrey Pinski, assistant vice president for technology transfer, UC’s Office of Innovation. “By licensing this innovation and partnering with industry leaders like 
KOSÉ, we were able to rapidly move a promising academic discovery into real-world application. In this case, a two-year span from scientific discovery to commercialization. Such collaboration is rare, but when it succeeds, it accelerates the path to market and delivers benefits to industry, academia, and the public.”