A product will be commercially available soon, he said. Rapepun was also involved in developing a facial whitening cream made from Para rubber latex.

The global market for antiageing products was worth about US$6.5 billion (Bt233.8 billion) in 2007, said Charan Chakkawalchaisri, acting director of the Thailand Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences (TCELS), which is supporting the second phrase of research with a Bt10million budget.

TCELS will hand out 1,500 boxes of the facial whitening cream at the Public Health Ministry's 90th anniversary celebration from tomorrow to Monday at Muangthong Thani's Challenger 2 venue. For details call (02) 644 5499, (087) 996 7877 and (081) 913 3697.