Promising new treatment for acne

Photocure has published results from its study on acne treatment in the British Journal of Dermatology (BJD). Patients treated with the Photocure treatment showed a 54 percent reduction in the number of inflammatory lesions.

By Alannah Eames

The study was performed during 2005 at three Nordic centers, headed by main investigator Anne-Marie Wennberg at Gothenburg’s Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

The study is a blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled trial comparing Photocure's patented MAL cream to placebo cream for the treatment of moderate to severe facial acne in 30 patients. MAL or placebo cream was applied to ach side of the patient’s face and left for a three-hour period before the skin was illuminated by Photocure’s Aktilite lamp.

Results showed a 54 percent reduction in the number of inflammatory lesions in the MAL-treated area and just 20 percent reduction in the placebo-treated area.

Based on the results, the team concludes that Photocure’s treatment is a promising treatment for moderate to severe acne. The only side effects of the treatment include pain and redness.

Further studies are necessary before the treatment will find its way in to the marketplace.

Acne affects up to 85 percent of all teenagers. Doctors treat around 50 percent of all patients for moderate acne and 20 percent for severe acne. At present, patients only have the option of oral antibiotics and isotretinoin. Photocure believes there is a need for a safe and efficacious topical treatment for acne patients.