Key takeaways
- Rejuran is a regenerative cosmetic injectable that uses polynucleotides extracted from purified salmon DNA. Developed in South Korea and now available in Australia, it sits within the regenerative category of aesthetic medicine as a polynucleotide-based product distinct from volume-based or muscle activity treatments.
- Rejuran is manufactured by PharmaResearch, a South Korean biopharmaceutical company that has produced the brand since its 2014 release. The polynucleotides in Rejuran are extracted from salmon DNA using PharmaResearch’s patented DNA Optimization Technology (DOT), which produces the PN and PDRN compounds at the heart of every product in the range.
- The defining feature of Rejuran is its compositional approach. Salmon DNA was chosen as the source material because of its high structural similarity to human DNA, and the purified polynucleotides extracted from it are what distinguish Rejuran from other regenerative treatments and from other categories of aesthetic medicine.
Rejuran has been building a reputation in cosmetic clinics across Melbourne, and if you’ve found yourself down a research rabbit hole trying to make sense of it, you’re not alone.
It sits in an interesting space. Different enough from what most people are familiar with to raise plenty of questions, but compelling enough to keep them asking what it actually is.
This guide answers that question directly. We’ll cover what Rejuran is, where it came from, who makes it, what it’s made of, where it sits in the broader landscape of cosmetic options, and how it’s regulated here in Australia.
What is Rejuran?
Rejuran is a bio-regenerative cosmetic injectable derived from polynucleotides, a naturally occurring compound sourced from salmon DNA. Originally developed in South Korea, it has become one of the most recognised polynucleotide brands in aesthetic medicine and is now available in countries around the world, including Australia.
Rejuran’s role in cosmetics works at a cellular level to encourage collagen and elastin production to help regenerate the dermis, the thicker layer of skin that sits just below the surface. At its core, Rejuran is designed to improve the appearance and condition of the skin by supporting its ability to repair and renew itself.
The origin of Rejuran: from South Korea to international markets
Rejuran was developed by PharmaResearch and released in South Korea in 2014 with KFDA approval, entering the market as a polynucleotide product aimed at the cosmetic and dermatological sector. By 2016, the domestic range had grown with the introduction of Rejuran i and Rejuran s, broadening what the brand offered within its home market.
International expansion followed across the next several years:
- 2017 — Singapore launch with HSA approval, plus European CE Certification
- 2018 — Malaysia
- 2019 — Hong Kong
- 2022 — Thailand with Thai FDA approval
By the end of this period, Rejuran had established a presence across the Asia-Pacific region and held European certification for distribution.
The most significant expansion happened across 2023 and 2024, when PharmaResearch entered distribution agreements with Laboratoires VIVACY for the European market and Medica Group for the UAE. Rejuran was also introduced to the Australian market in 2023 under Australian health regulations, bringing the product into reach for cosmetic clinics across the country. The brand continued its expansion into Latin America with the launch in Brazil in 2025.
The manufacturer behind Rejuran
Rejuran is manufactured by PharmaResearch Co., Ltd., a South Korean biopharmaceutical company founded in 1993 by Chairman Jung Sang-soo. The company began as Korea’s first pharmaceutical consulting firm before growing into a manufacturer of regenerative medical products in its own right. PharmaResearch has been listed on the KOSDAQ exchange since July 2015, with corporate offices in Seongnam and manufacturing operations in Gangneung.
The company’s work centres on regenerative medicine, with a particular focus on polynucleotide-based products. Central to this is their patented DNA Optimization Technology, or DOT, which is the proprietary process used to extract and prepare the polynucleotide fragments that make up products like Rejuran. The DOT process is what allows PharmaResearch to consistently produce the PN and PDRN compounds that make up their regenerative range, and it is the technical foundation that distinguishes their products within the polynucleotide category.
Rejuran is PharmaResearch’s flagship within the cosmetic space and the most internationally recognised product in their portfolio. While the company manufactures a range of regenerative medical products across different applications, Rejuran is the line that has driven their global presence in aesthetic medicine and remains the most widely distributed of their cosmetic offerings.
The composition of Rejuran: polynucleotides and salmon DNA
Rejuran is built around polynucleotides, which are fragments of DNA made up of long chains of nucleotide units linked together. These fragments occur naturally in living cells and form the building blocks of genetic material. Purified polynucleotides have become a substance class in their own right within cosmetic and regenerative medicine.
The polynucleotides in Rejuran are sourced from salmon DNA, specifically because the genetic structure of salmon DNA shares a high degree of similarity with human DNA. Once harvested, the salmon DNA is broken down into polynucleotide fragments and put through a purification process that removes proteins, contaminants, and anything that could trigger an immune response in human tissue. What remains is a preparation of polynucleotide fragments suitable for use in cosmetic products.
Within the polynucleotide category there are two main fragment types, PN and PDRN, which differ in the length of their nucleotide chains. PN refers to longer polynucleotide chains, while PDRN refers to shorter polydeoxyribonucleotide chains. Rejuran’s range draws on both types depending on the product, and the composition of each variant determines how it is used.
Where Rejuran fits in aesthetic medicine
Aesthetic medicine covers a wide range of treatment categories, each working to address how the skin and underlying tissue look and behave. The most familiar categories include volume-based treatments, which add structure or fullness, and treatments that work by influencing muscle activity to soften the appearance of expression-related lines.
Rejuran belongs to the regenerative category, which works with the body’s own repair processes rather than adding volume or altering muscle function. Rejuran sits alongside a small group of treatments that share the same underlying principle of supporting the skin’s natural ability to repair and renew itself. This group includes Morpheus 8, exosomes, PRP, and PRF, each of which approaches regeneration through different mechanisms and source materials. Rejuran’s position within this group is as the polynucleotide-based option, distinguished by its use of purified polynucleotides sourced from salmon DNA rather than energy-based devices, cell-derived signalling molecules, or blood-derived growth factors.
No two categories in aesthetic medicine, and no two treatments within the regenerative category, deliver the same thing. Volume-based treatments, muscle activity treatments, and regenerative treatments each produce a fundamentally different kind of outcome. The benefits of Rejuran are specific to its polynucleotide composition and not interchangeable with what any other treatment, including other regenerative treatments, may produce.
Rejuran’s regulatory status in Australia
Rejuran is approved for use in Australia as a Class III medical device under Australian health regulations, listed under ARTG ID 412630. Class III is the high-risk classification, applied to medical devices that involve a significant degree of clinical risk and therefore require the most rigorous level of regulatory assessment before they can be made available. Rejuran holds the distinction of being the first polynucleotide product to successfully clear Australian regulatory approval, which is a significant marker for the polynucleotide category in this country.
The Class III classification carries direct implications for how Rejuran can be provided and administered. It is a prescription-level treatment, meaning it cannot be purchased or self-administered, and it can only be provided after a consultation with a qualified medical professional who is authorised to prescribe and administer regulated cosmetic products. This requirement applies to every patient and to every Rejuran treatment. The regulatory framework places clear boundaries on who can legally hold, prescribe, and administer Rejuran in Australia, and clinics offering it operate within those boundaries.
Rejuran in social media and aesthetic marketing
Rejuran has had a significant presence in social media and aesthetic marketing over the last several years, with the kind of visibility that few cosmetic products achieve so quickly. Before-and-after content, clinic promotions, influencer features, and treatment vlogs have all contributed to a picture of Rejuran as a product with transformative results. In many cases, the people sharing those results are sharing genuine experiences, and the outcomes shown may well be exactly what they received.
The issue is not whether those results are real for the individuals presenting them. The issue is that the way Rejuran is presented in social media and marketing tends to flatten a more complicated reality into a single, uniform expectation. Regenerative treatments work with each person’s biology, and biology is not uniform. What one person experiences with Rejuran may be significantly different from what another person experiences, even when the product, the medical professional, and the protocol are identical.
The honest position is straightforward. Rejuran is a real product with a real place in aesthetic medicine, manufactured and approved through proper regulatory channels. It is also a product whose actual experience varies from person to person and carries considerations worth understanding before treatment, including what it costs once promotional framing is set aside. The marketing that surrounds it does not always make that clear. Understanding what Rejuran is means understanding both halves of that picture.
Professional standards at Luxe Lips
At Luxe Lips, a cosmetic clinic in Melbourne, our care is grounded in medical ethics and quiet clinical responsibility. Every treatment pathway is approached as a medical process, with established health protocols and safety guiding each step.
Across our clinics in Moonee Ponds, Camberwell, and Brighton, our medical professionals carry out a thorough screening process for every person. For those considering Rejuran, this includes reviewing medical history, assessing anatomical suitability, and considering psychological readiness. In line with local guidelines, this evaluation helps determine whether a proposed plan aligns with your health.
Medical professionals proceed only when a treatment is clinically appropriate. If your underlying concern, the condition of the surrounding skin, or your broader health profile means a Rejuran approach isn’t the right fit, we will explain why and discuss what that means for you. The focus is always on clear information and maintaining a clinical environment where safety and ethical standards come first.
Because responses and circumstances vary, a consultation is required to determine suitability before Rejuran treatment is considered.
Note: Individual responses vary. A consultation with a qualified professional is required to determine the suitability of any treatment for your specific needs.
Questions we’re often asked about Rejuran
It’s a brand name. Rejuran is the product name used by PharmaResearch for its polynucleotide-based range. The substance inside it is the polynucleotides themselves, which are a compound class that exists independently of any specific brand.
This distinction matters when you’re researching. A reader looking into polynucleotides as a category will find information on the substance more broadly, while a reader looking up Rejuran will find information on this particular product. The two searches don’t return the same thing, and the gap between them can be confusing if you’re not aware of it.
What you’re looking at when you encounter Rejuran in a clinic context is something a medical professional can clarify in a consultation.
No, and this is one of the more common misunderstandings circulating online. The “salmon sperm facial” framing has spread through social media but it’s inaccurate on two counts. Rejuran is not a facial in the sense of a surface-applied skincare treatment, and the source material is salmon DNA rather than salmon sperm specifically.
The DNA used to make Rejuran is extracted and purified through a manufacturing process that produces polynucleotide fragments. What ends up in the product is a long way from the source material both biologically and physically.
What Rejuran actually is versus what social media calls it is something a medical professional can outline in a consultation.
It depends on how you define natural. The source material is biological in origin. Polynucleotides extracted from salmon DNA, which is a substance that occurs in living cells. In that sense the starting point is natural. The final product is not raw salmon DNA, though. It has been through extraction, purification, and processing under pharmaceutical manufacturing standards.
So Rejuran sits somewhere between purely synthetic and purely natural. The substance class is naturally occurring, the preparation process is industrial, and the finished product is a regulated medical preparation rather than a natural substance in any everyday sense of the word.
Where Rejuran sits on that spectrum is something a medical professional can walk through in a consultation.
Yes. Rejuran is manufactured by PharmaResearch in South Korea regardless of which market it’s sold in, and the product distributed in Australia comes from the same manufacturer using the same proprietary process used in its home market. The formulation isn’t reformulated for individual countries.
What differs between markets is the regulatory framework around the product, not the product itself. Each country sets its own approval requirements and conditions of supply, and the Australian framework is what determines how Rejuran is made available here. The product inside the packaging is the same.
What that means for any treatment you’re considering is something a medical professional can establish in a consultation.
Yes. Rejuran is approved under Australian health regulations and is listed on the official register of therapeutic goods that determines what can legally be supplied in this country. The approval places Rejuran in the highest regulatory tier for medical devices, which sets the conditions under which it can be held, prescribed, and administered.
The approval is product-specific. It doesn’t extend to other polynucleotide products that haven’t been through the same approval pathway, which means not every polynucleotide product available in other countries can legally be offered in Australia. The framework is strict about which products meet the standard.
What that approval covers in practical terms is something a medical professional can examine in a consultation.
Class III is the highest-risk regulatory classification for medical devices under Australian health regulations. It applies to products that carry a significant degree of clinical risk and therefore require the most rigorous assessment before they can be made available. Rejuran sits in this category because of how it interacts with the body.
The classification has direct implications for how the product can be supplied. It is prescription-level, which means it can only be provided through a qualified medical professional authorised to handle and administer regulated products. It can’t be purchased over the counter, ordered online for personal use, or self-administered.
What that classification means for your specific circumstances is something a medical professional can discuss in a consultation.
No. All three sit within the regenerative category of aesthetic medicine, but they are distinct products with different source materials. Rejuran is made from polynucleotides extracted from salmon DNA. PRP and PRF are made from components of the patient’s own blood, processed in the clinic at the time of treatment.
The difference isn’t a small one. Rejuran is a manufactured product that arrives at the clinic in a finished, regulated form. PRP and PRF are prepared from the individual receiving them, which means the starting material is different every time. They belong in the same category but they’re not interchangeable.
What distinguishes them for your circumstances is something a medical professional can map out in a consultation.
The choice comes down to compatibility. Salmon DNA shares a high degree of structural similarity with human DNA, which is what makes it usable as a source material for a product designed for use in human tissue. Not every fish DNA shares that level of similarity, and using a less compatible source would carry a higher risk of the body recognising it as foreign.
Salmon’s role as a source material in regenerative medicine isn’t unique to Rejuran. It’s used elsewhere in the polynucleotide category for the same reason. The decision is biological rather than commercial, despite how it can read.
What that source material means is something a medical professional can determine in a consultation.
Polynucleotides are long chains of nucleotide units linked together. They occur naturally in the cells of all living organisms, which is what allows them to be extracted from biological sources and used as a starting material for products like Rejuran.
In aesthetic medicine, polynucleotides are a substance class in their own right, distinct from other regenerative source materials. The word covers a range of fragment lengths, which is why different polynucleotide products can vary in how they’re prepared and used. As a category, they sit alongside blood-derived and cell-derived materials within regenerative medicine, with their own specific characteristics.
What the polynucleotide category covers more broadly is something a medical professional can assess in a consultation.
h a clinical consultation with a qualified medical professional.
The term “Rejuran facial” is a marketing phrase rather than an accurate description of the product. It tends to appear in social media and clinic promotion because the word “facial” reads as familiar and approachable, but the framing flattens what Rejuran is into a category it doesn’t belong to.
Rejuran is a regulated medical product administered in a clinical setting under prescription-level conditions. A facial, in the everyday sense of the word, refers to a surface-level skincare service. The two are categorically different, and the marketing language tends to blur a distinction that matters when you’re researching what you’re actually considering.
What that distinction means for any treatment you’re looking into is something a medical professional can identify in a consultation.
