Latest research on topical gels used to treat acne

BioPharmX, a pharmaceutical company developing products for the dermatology market, has presented research showing that the topical delivery of minocycline in a gel formulation may offer a more targeted path to treating acne and rosacea than oral formulations that could make it the preferred treatment option for patients with those indications.

The poster presentation, "Early Data from BPX-04 Topical Minocycline Gel for Rosacea Supported by Data From BPX-01 Topical Minocycline Gel for Acne: A Review", was shared at the Congress of Clinical Dermatology. The presentation concludes that, because topical minocycline formulations may avoid systemic side effects commonly associated with oral formulations of minocycline, as well as the cutaneous irritation common in other topical treatments, dermatologists may prefer these formulations for treatment of acne and rosacea.

"Dermatologists favour medicines that make it easy for patients to follow treatment programmes. By reducing the risk of adverse effects and antibiotic resistance, the topical BioPharmX formulations may fulfill needs currently being addressed by a combination of oral antibiotics and topical therapies," said Hilary Baldwin, Medical Director of the Acne Treatment & Research Center in Morristown, NJ, and co-chair of the BioPharmX Medical Advisory Board. "The fact that this unique hydrophilic delivery system effectively delivers minocycline in a targeted way without the adverse effects associated with either oral antibiotics or many alternative topical products holds exciting promise."

Oral minocycline has been widely used since the 1970s, but the pharmaceutical industry has not previously been able to develop a stable, topical formulation of fully solubilised minocycline, which produces less resistance than other tetracycline-class antibiotics commonly used for these diseases. BioPharmX is the first company to develop a topical gel formulation of minocycline that reaches not only the epidermis where rosacea manifests itself, but also deeper into the pilosebaseous unit, where acne develops. By applying minocycline topically, a patient may reduce the systemic uptake of minocycline and focus the drug¹s beneficial effects on the skin where they are needed most.

Recent Issues