Merz Aesthetics and NANOTEC Launch Partnership as Thailand Pushes into the Longevity Economy

Merz Aesthetics and NANOTEC Launch Partnership as

Thailand Pushes into the Longevity Economy

Thailand is emerging as one of the fastest-growing wellness economies in the world, with the sector valued at more than THB 1.4 trillion in 20231. The growth aligns with the government's ambition to position the country as an international health and wellness hub under the Thailand Global Health Hub 2025–2034 strategy. At the same time, the longevity movement is reshaping the way people approach health and well-being, while the rise of the ‘T-Beauty’ trend is accelerating the transformation of the aesthetic medicine industry from a focus on short-term visible outcomes toward a science-driven approach centered on long-term skin health and function.

This trend has given rise to the concept of Aesthetic Longevity, which considers beauty alongside skin health, quality of life, and confidence at every stage of life, and emphasizes understanding biological changes in the skin. Recognizing this opportunity, Merz Aesthetics Thailand, together with the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), through the National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on research and development collaboration to create scientific knowledge and innovation in Aesthetic Longevity and Skin Longevity. The partnership aims to establish evidence-based knowledge that can be further developed into future research, technologies, products, and high-value healthcare services.

This collaboration combines the strengths of the private sector, government agencies, and medical experts. Merz Aesthetics Thailand contributes its global expertise in aesthetic medicine, along with its understanding of innovation, products, and market needs, while working closely with the scientific, technological, and research capabilities of NANOTEC. Together, both parties aim to create practical knowledge that can be translated into real-world applications while fostering stronger collaboration among researchers, physicians, and industry stakeholders.

Kittiwan Rattanachandr, Senior Vice President, Regional Commercial, Japan, SEA & ANZ, said, "This collaboration represents far more than the signing of a memorandum of understanding. It marks the beginning of a knowledge partnership that brings together the expertise of researchers, medical professionals, and the private sector to systematically explore and validate the role of aesthetic medicine in advancing both Skin Longevity and Aesthetic Longevity. The partnership also aims to generate scientific knowledge that can be translated into real-world applications, enabling physicians to deliver more personalized, appropriate, and safe treatment plans tailored to individual needs. We firmly believe that Thailand has the potential to evolve from being a consumer of global knowledge into a recognized source of scientific innovation and research, ultimately positioning the country as one of the leading centers for Aesthetic Longevity in the region."

From the research perspective, Tawin Iempridee, Ph.D.,Senior Researcher, Program Director, PhytoEX, National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), NSTDA dedicated to developing bioactive compounds from Thai herbs for beauty, health, and longevity, explained that NANOTEC will apply its scientific expertise and Skin Longevity platform to study biological changes within the skin. The research framework will cover three key dimensions: changes in the biological hallmarks of skin aging, the preservation of skin health and function (skinspan), and validation through human studies. The objective is to generate scientific evidence that can be further developed into future health and beauty innovations.

In addition, the platform will be used to investigate the skin's response and recovery following exposure to environmental factors, or the exposome, including ultraviolet radiation, blue light, and PM2.5 particles. Researchers will also be able to monitor changes in aging mechanisms and the biological age of the skin, enabling them to better explain the outcomes observed at the biological level.

Uracha Ruktanonchai, B.Pharm., Ph.D., Executive Director of the National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), NSTDA, said, "This collaboration marks an important opportunity to leverage NANOTEC's scientific expertise, technological capabilities, and Skin Longevity platform in partnership with a global industry leader to deepen our understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying skin ageing. We believe that future advances in aesthetic medicine must be driven by robust scientific evidence. Today's signing therefore represents an important step towards strengthening the innovation ecosystem and elevating Thailand's skin health research capabilities to internationally recognized standards."

This perspective is consistent with the growing trend toward holistic healthcare. Dr. Smith Arayaskul, a specialist in preventive medicine and lifestyle medicine at Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital, founder and physician at Smith Prive' Aesthetique, and special lecturer in dermatology at the Chulabhorn International College of Medicine, Thammasat University, believes that longevity is not merely about living longer. Rather, it is about extending the period during which individuals remain healthy and able to live life to their fullest potential.

The same principle applies to Skin Longevity, which is concerned not only with maintaining youthful skin but also with preserving the long-term health and function of the skin. This is because skin health and overall health are interconnected and cannot be separated from one another.

The collaboration between Merz Aesthetics Thailand and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), through the National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), therefore represents another important step toward strengthening the country's scientific knowledge, research capabilities, and healthcare innovation ecosystem. At the same time, it lays an important foundation for the development of talent, technology, and new standards within the healthcare and aesthetic medicine industries, while creating opportunities for Thailand to establish itself as one of the leading Aesthetic Longevity hubs in the region in the future.


About Merz Aesthetics

Merz Aesthetics is a medical aesthetics business with a long history of empowering health care professionals, patients, and employees to live every day with confidence. We aim to help people around the world look, feel and live like the best versions of themselves — however they define it. Clinically proven, its product portfolio includes devices and skin injectables treatments designed to meet each patient’s needs with high standards of safety and efficacy. Being family owned for more than 115 years, Merz Aesthetics is known for building unique connections with customers who feel like family. Merz Aesthetics’ global headquarters is in Raleigh, N.C., USA, with a commercial presence in 90 countries worldwide. It is also a part of Merz Group, which was founded in 1908 and is based in Frankfurt, Germany. Learn more at merzaesthetics.com.