Drug delivery technology to be applied to anti-aging skin care

Dermatrends has announced positive results from a study into the effects of its Hydroxide Releasing Agent (HRA) technology when incorporated into anti-aging skin care formulations. The HRA technology has, up until this point, been incorporated into a transdermal adhesive patch to enable drugs to penetrate the skin at therapeutic levels, and positive results have been recorded with many different drugs. However, recently Dermatrends has announced its aims to expand into the personal care market with news that its HRA technology may significantly improve the efficacy of existing ingredients in many anti-aging products. The technology is most applicable to products containing Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), ingredients that are said to redefine the skin by gently exfoliating the dead layers whilst moisturizing the new layers. There are many different AHAs that occur regularly in skin care products with varying properties; lactic acid, for example, is reported to have intense hydrating effect whereas glycolic acid has a strong exfoliating effect and is often used in peels and serums. Dermatrends' CEO Ted Schwarzrock stated that the company 'look forward to developing commercial partnerships and to participating in the $5 billion alpha-hydroxy skin market'​. The anti-aging market in general is one of the fastest growing in the personal care industry with global growth of 10.2 per cent being recorded in 2005-2006, with value sales in the USA alone at $ 2.1 bn in 2006. The study, conducted by Hill Top Research, an independent clinical research company, compared the effect of Dermatrends' formulation and two commercially branded products with initial baseline values and untreated control sites, concentrating on the exfoliation properties of salicylic acid. Subjects ranged from 21 to 65 years and 16 parameters were measured in order to test the efficacy of the formulation including visual examination by a trained laboratory examiner, quantitative measurements such as corneometer readings to gauge skin moisture and measurements to asses skin turnover time, and self assessment by the study subjects. In the seven day trial the study reports that Dermatrends' formulation showed a statistically significant change from the baseline for both moisturization and exfoliation; positive results that were apparently not achieved by the commercially branded products. The technology is likely to have applications for many ingredients, with Schwarzrock adding 'Dermatrends believes that this is just the tip of the iceberg in exploring synergies between HRA and molecules in the personal care fields'. The company is currently looking for partnerships with cosmetic manufacturers in order to bring their technology to the marketplace.