Apothecary LAB®: A milestone in brand and product development
Belgrade, Serbia – After six years of extensive work on the development of its proprietary brand, Apothecary LAB®, and its first product, Dermatogen [HA+] facial and eye serum, Apothecary has reached an important milestone. In line with its commitment to introducing the product to the market only after completing the relevant testing procedures and obtaining the necessary documentation, Apothecary has received a professional opinion from the City Institute of Public Health of Belgrade, Republic of Serbia, confirming the health compliance of the tested product sample with respect to the parameters examined.
The professional opinion was issued by the Institute’s Centre for Hygiene and Human Ecology, Unit for Nutrition Improvement and Food Health Compliance Control, following laboratory testing and expert assessment. Dated October 27, 2026, the opinion was issued under laboratory report reference No. 26-08-0937. This represents an important step in the development of the Apothecary LAB® brand and the preparation of its first product for the market.
PHOTO: Dermatogen [HA+] brand and product design by Foster + Svensson MED for Apothecary LAB®.
Six years of brand development
The development of Apothecary LAB® began in 2020, alongside the establishment of Apothecary, a premium online pharmacy and beauty destination in Serbia. Over the past six years, the project has evolved through research, product development, and the gradual establishment of a distinctive brand concept.
Apothecary LAB® is a proprietary cosmetics line whose formulations have been developed by pharmacists, with particular attention to ingredient selection and the development of formulations addressing different skincare needs. The brand concept brings together pharmaceutical expertise, scientific knowledge, and active ingredients of natural origin, drawing inspiration from regenerative medicine, bioscience, and contemporary biotechnological developments.
Its first product, Dermatogen [HA+] facial serum, represents the culmination of this development process and the first tangible expression of the Apothecary LAB® philosophy.
Laboratory testing and professional assessment
As part of the product development process, a sample of Dermatogen [HA+] facial serum was submitted to the City Institute of Public Health of Belgrade for health compliance testing. The laboratory assessment included physical, physico-chemical and chemical, as well as microbiological examinations. The parameters examined included pH value, the presence and concentrations of selected preservatives, heavy metal content and other chemical substances, alongside microbiological compliance.
Following the completion of the laboratory examinations and expert assessment of the results, the Institute issued a professional opinion confirming that the tested sample was health-compliant with respect to the parameters examined. The opinion was issued in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Serbian Law on General Use Items and the Rulebook on Cosmetic Products. The assessment represents an important part of the product development and preparation process, reflecting Apothecary’s commitment to addressing the applicable requirements and standards before introducing its product to the market.
PHOTO: Dermatogen [HA+] brand and product design by Foster + Svensson MED for Apothecary LAB®.
Protecting the Apothecary LAB® identity
Alongside product research and development, Apothecary has placed considerable emphasis on establishing and protecting the intellectual property behind its proprietary brand. The trademark “Apothecary LAB® life more beautiful” was registered on January 14, 2026, under Serbian trademark registration No. 90033. The registration covers the brand’s name and figurative sign, including its designated grey colour (RGB 153, 153, 153), and extends to Nice Classes 3 (cosmetics) and 5 (dietary supplements for human use). The registration was published in the Official Gazette of Intellectual Property of the Republic of Serbia, Issue 8/2025 (ISSN 2217–9143). It provides a ten-year period of trademark protection, with the possibility of unlimited renewal.
This milestone represents an important element in the long-term establishment of Apothecary LAB® as an independently developed and legally protected brand.
A consistent approach to development
For Apothecary, building a proprietary cosmetics brand involves considerably more than creating products and defining their visual identity. It is a structured, long-term process encompassing research, formulation development, ingredient selection, laboratory testing, regulatory compliance, and intellectual property protection. The decision to share these developments reflects Apothecary’s commitment to transparency and to keeping customers and the wider public informed about the work behind its products. Six years after the beginning of the project, the professional assessment of Dermatogen [HA+] marks another meaningful step in the development of Apothecary LAB® and its journey towards the market.
Within our healthcare specialized unit Foster + Svensson MED which develops marketing solutions and communication material for healthcare, medical, and pharmaceutical industry, we played a pivotal role in the creation of Apothecary LAB®. Our responsibilities included brand naming, legal advisory, trademark registration, developing a comprehensive brand and product launch go-to-market strategy, logo design, product naming, product labeling design, packaging design, and marketing communication.
ABOUT FOSTER + SVENSSON
Foster + Svensson is an award-winning European branding, communications, and marketing company with heritage back in 1746 and incorporated in 2013 in Serbia, who put forward well-considered contemporary design, digital and innovation. Operating worldwide as part of Fosterova grupa, Foster + Svensson is positioned as professional services company, providing broad range of services and solutions in area of marketing and technology. Having bold experience and specialized skills in more than 20 industries, company provides services to all company sizes. People at Foster + Svensson design brands, use digital technology, data, and strategy to create contemporary visual identities, services, and experiences to help corporate clients improve their performance and manage sustainable business value for stakeholders. Foster + Svensson design and drive innovation to improve the way world works and lives. Company approach is to be precise, punctual, and reliable to its clients, where it ran more than 2000 projects while working for major companies to be found in Fortune Global 500 and top-tier companies, such as HVB Bank, UniCredit Bank, Raiffeisen Bank, Banca Intesa, Addiko Bank, AikBank, Visa, Mastercard, Ericsson, Nokia, Telenor Group, Apple, Vodafone Group, A1 Telekom Austria Group, T-Mobile, CNN, RTS, Ringier Axel Springer, Samsung, Cheil, McCann Worldgroup, MullenLowe Group, Grey Worldwide, Carat, Dentsu Aegis Network, WPP, Publicis Groupe, Leo, Saatchi & Saatchi, Huawei, HONOR, Hisense, Gorenje, Asko, Ahold Delhaize, Maxi, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble, AstraZeneca, Richter Gedeon, URSAPHARM, Takeda, Inditex, Zara, Zara Home, BMW Group, Renault Group, FIAT, Knight Frank. Work culture and ethics includes business excellence and delivery of outperforming results.
Foster + Svensson in one of the founders of MAI Marina Abramović Institute.
