PDRN combined with coacervate delivery technology
Product shows improvements in root volume, shine and 24-hour volume retention
Polyphenol Factory, a faculty startup from KAIST, has launched the Grabity PDRN Hair Recovery Shampoo, targeting people in their 40s and older who experience hair loss.
Some of the technology behind the product was previewed at CES 2026 earlier this year. The shampoo features a delivery system designed to maximize the retention of PDRN — a compound that helps reduce hair loss — on the scalp even after rinsing. Two weeks of use reduced hair shedding by approximately 73 percent, the company said.
Polyphenol Factory officially launched the Grabity PDRN Shampoo at a press briefing held Monday at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul, positioning the product primarily for people in their 40s and older dealing with hair loss.
The shampoo is the world's first commercial hair care formulation to combine marine microalgae-derived PDRN with polyphenol coacervate delivery technology.
PDRN is a key regenerative ingredient that promotes scalp cell regeneration and healing, strengthens hair roots and reduces hair loss. The polyphenol coacervate delivery technology is designed to keep a high-concentration PDRN complex on the scalp after shampooing.
Polyphenol Factory developed the shampoo after identifying three concerns that become pronounced in people from their 40s onward: hair thinning caused by hormonal changes and lifestyle factors, chemical damage from frequent dyeing and perming, and dissatisfaction with the feel of existing functional anti-hair-loss shampoos.
The Grabity PDRN Shampoo contains approximately 100,000 ppm of a coacervate adhesive PDRN complex — developed using KAIST technology from marine microalgae — that functions as a bioadhesive in aqueous environments. Polyphenol-based technology is applied on top of this to further increase the retention of the high-concentration PDRN complex on the scalp.
LiftMax308™, a KAIST-patented ingredient, boosts hair volume, while LiftMax615™ improves the condition of dry, brittle hair.
According to Polyphenol Factory, tests conducted by The K Dermatology Research Institute and Seonjin Clinical Research Center — both Ministry of Food and Drug Safety-designated cosmetics testing institutions — found the following results: hair shedding fell 73.66 percent after two weeks of use; hair root volume improved 43.02 percent after a single use; 24-hour volume retention reached 95.89 percent; scalp-soothing indicators improved 68.04 percent; and hair shine improved 61.62 percent.
Safety has also been verified in multiple countries. The product received a Dermatest Excellent rating for low irritancy in Germany and an EVE VEGAN certification confirming no major heavy metals in France. Testing for non-detection of such substances is also underway at KOTITI, a nationally accredited testing and research institute.
"Global clean beauty channels are raising the bar on ingredient standards and verification for existing PDRN products that use animal-derived raw materials," said Choi Seong-sik, CFO of Polyphenol Factory. "We will gradually expand domestic and international distribution of the Grabity product line and aim to achieve sales of around 40 billion won (approximately $29 million) this year."
ko@heraldcorp.com
