Kicking off a year to be marked by significant continued growth, Northern Ireland ‘cosmeceutical’ startup and Queen’s University Belfast spin-in Granlab has announced the establishment of state-of-the-art laboratory facilities in Belfast and the appointment of key scientific personnel, positioning the company as it advances its breakthrough dermatology skincare treatment towards commercialisation.
The startup, which has already secured £600,000 in initial funding, recently achieved significant milestones: gaining support from The MedTech Accelerator Rapid Regulatory Support Fund (MARRS) for regulatory affairs development, receiving additional funding from Innovate UK to accelerate further growth, and securing Invest NI Gap Employment Project funding. These achievements have enabled Granlab to establish its core scientific team, bringing on board a Formulation Scientist and recruiting a Clinical Trial Manager.
Operating from its newly established laboratory in the Medical Biology Centre (MBC) on Belfast’s Lisburn Road, Granlab is now targeting additional investment to accelerate its journey to market and are in the process of filing patents. The facility, which became operational in January 2025, represents a crucial step in the company’s development, providing a dedicated space for product formulation and clinical trials.
In addition to Granlab’s initial scientific appointments, Pragya plans to grow Granlab’s team throughout 2025 with additional specialist roles as Granlab gears up to completion of comprehensive clinical trials, securing necessary regulatory approvals, and perfecting product formulations before planned market entry in 2026.
Founded by Dr Pragya Sharma, a medical doctor and biochemist with a PhD from Queen’s University Belfast in iron transport mechanisms and dermatological research, Granlab received S/EIS approval from HMRC in October 2024. The company is now actively working toward bringing its novel cosmeceutical product to the UK and USA markets in 2026, with a phased roll-out plan targeting dermatology offices and consumers directly via its website initially before expanding to premium beauty retailers and pharmacies.
In 2018 whilst undertaking medical school to become a doctor, Pragya’s grandmother shared with her the battle she was waging against psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune condition that leads to itchy, scaly patches on the skin. Having tried all remedies available to her with harsh steroid medications affecting her liver and contributing to type 2 diabetes and partial sight loss, she was desperate for an alternative solution. Tapping into her background in chemistry, Pragya was inspired to find a more effective treatment.
“It seemed like an obvious move for me to combine my backgrounds in chemistry and medicine to try to develop a cure for my grandmother,” Dr Sharma says. “The formulation I developed includes bio-minerals and rare earth metals that can synergistically enhance the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties demonstrated by the formula’s bioactive compounds. It is steroid-free and can be used on the most sensitive parts of the body. After three months of using the treatment, my grandmother’s skin was symptom-free. It was like magic, only better – it was science!”
Dr Sharma’s PhD studies in Structural Biochemistry, focusing on Iron Transportation for Drug Development, have equipped her with advanced skills directly applicable to Granlab’s mission. Her research, published in a leading drug target journal, highlighted how iron ‘docking stations’ work in cells, and focused on understanding exactly how these gates recognise and grab onto iron to move it to where it needs to go; almost like how a key fits into a lock, but at a microscopic level. Her ability to characterise substrate binding sites in membrane transporter has proven invaluable given recent discoveries linking iron dysregulation to psoriasis and other skin conditions.
The first formulation, referred to as GL-1, has been tested by over 300 patients worldwide through four successful trials, with results revealing 70-80% of patients seeing significant improvements in their psoriasis symptoms. The potential market is vast, with 900 million people globally dealing with chronic skin conditions—30 million with psoriasis—and 60% of psoriasis cases involving ‘inverse psoriasis,’ which occurs in skin folds and sensitive areas where average over-the-counter products cannot be used.
“In addition to the huge number of people around the world trying to find a cure for their psoriasis, Granlab has been heavily tested by people of colour, ensuring the formulation is safe for all skin types, colours, ages, and locations on the body,” Dr Sharma explains.
Highlighting Granlab’s dedication to ensuring those suffering with skin complaints can regain their confidence, Dr Sharma is also working to establish and grow a support network, ‘The Clearing,’ which has grown naturally from Granlab’s early adopters and trial participants. Commenting on this outreach work which will complement Granlab’s product offering she said, “The more I learned about those dealing with skin issues like psoriasis in Northern Ireland, the more evident it became that many patients feel they are not receiving enough support for navigating life with debilitating skin issues. From practical guidance to moral support and help to see beauty as more than skin-deep, I have been overwhelmed by the positivity and support offered by patients I have worked with. I look forward to formalising this support group through ‘The Clearing’ which will welcome patients of all ages, genders, backgrounds, and even parents and carers of those with skin issues to help them learn how to best support their loved ones.”
For more information or to follow Granlab’s journey to launch, please visit granlab.co or follow Granlab on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or LinkedIn.
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