Study Shows Novel BioPharmX Formulation Promises B
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MENLO PARK, Calif., Oct. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Research being presented at the Skin Disease Education Foundation's 11th Annual Women's & Pediatric Dermatology Seminar shows that a unique, hydrophilic drug formulation may offer a breakthrough in the treatment of acne.
The investigational drug product, called BPX-01 developed by specialty pharmaceutical company BioPharmX Corporation (NYSE MKT: BPMX), is the first and only stable hydrophilic topical gel of its kind for an antibiotic that can more effectively deliver therapeutic concentrations to the skin's target anatomy where acne develops.
Existing topical acne medications are lipophilic formulations that ensure stability, but compromise effectiveness because the antibiotic is not solubilized and is less effective in reaching the target tissue.
Some lipophilic formulations use substances or combinations of substances such as mineral oil, beeswax, soybean oil, cetostearyl alcohol, etc., all of which occlude pores and are counter-productive for acne treatment by further limiting drug penetration into the skin. To compensate for the lipophilic formulations' limitations, drug products often have significantly increased drug dosages resulting in unnecessary or undesirable side effects.
"Our studies indicate that BPX-01 is more effective at delivering antibiotic into the skin than drug in a lipophilic formulation, suggesting that lower doses of antibiotic can provide superior efficacy over other formulations with higher doses," said Kin F. Chan, Ph.D., executive vice president of research and development at BioPharmX Corporation. "Usability studies indicate that BPX-01 distributes evenly, is not sticky and does not occlude or irritate the skin, indicating that it could offer a significant advancement in the treatment of acne."
The BioPharmX study's findings will be presented at the Dermatology Seminar in Newport Beach, Calif., Oct. 23-24, 2015.
The American Academy of Dermatology calls acne the "most common skin condition in the United States," affecting 40 to 50 million Americans at any given moment. The disease can cause permanent scarring, low self-esteem, depression and anxiety.
The condition is typically treated with oral antibiotics, sometimes in combination with topical products. Oral antibiotics often lead to antibiotic resistance and other side effects making them often ineffective or not tolerated. An effective and easy to use topical formulation addresses a very large unmet need.