After demonstrating for the first time the mechanism of action of the MIA protein in humans, with the discovery of the presence of the MIA protein in patients with vitiligo, and having received confirmation from the laboratory tests that it is precisely the MIA protein alone that causes vitiligo in perfectly healthy skin, completely new therapeutic prospects have opened up. At this point, the most difficult challenge was before me…developing a therapy able to block the protein’s activity, encouraging re-pigmentation, with no side effects!

The Spanish company Bella Aurora has long specialised in the study of melanocytes and in the treatment of dark patches on the skin, which is why the company is known across the world. In 2017 a Spanish patient suffering from vitiligo contacted Bella Aurora, asking why they could not also treat the white patches, sending them extensive detailed documentation on my studies. The Bella Aurora call centre passed the request to the relevant department and I was contacted a few days later. Our collaboration began in 2017: after four years of work, we launched on the market a new cream treatment, known as Repigment12, which inhibits the MIA protein. This patent, as well as stopping the development of white patches, allows the skin to re-pigment. Bella Aurora accepted the challenge: this company made available its technology and expertise for my research. It was a happy “marriage” from the very start: an extraordinary experience and collaboration!