ORLANDO – There may soon be a new gold standard in acne therapy – gold nanoparticles.
Evidence is mounting that the combination of a laser and a topical suspension of gold- or silver-coated silica nanoparticles can ablate the inner lining of the pilosebaceous unit, dramatically reducing or eliminating acne.
The system is still investigational in the United States, but shows great promise, Gilly Munavalli, MD, said in a video interview at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Dr. Munavalli, medical director and founder of Dermatology, Laser, and Vein Specialists of the Carolinas, Charlotte, N.C., described how the system works, and some of the evidence supporting it.
“Basically what we’re doing is creating a chromophore for the laser to target,” he said. Just as a laser won’t work on light hair, it can’t target the colorless sebum inside the gland. The colored particles absorb the laser energy, vibrate, and create the locally destructive heat.
The particles are about 150 nm in diameter. They are designed to absorb infrared and near-infrared irradiation. A nanoparticle solution is applied to the affected area. Dr. Munavalli uses an ultrasound paddle to drive the particles into the sebaceous gland, and then removes any solution left on the skin.
He passes a hand-held, 800-nm laser over the skin. The laser activates the particles, generating heat that disrupts the lining of the pilosebaceous unit.
In 2014, Sebacia (Duluth, Ga.), which is developing the technology, reported positive results from two small European trials enrolling a total of 97 patients with acne. The patients were randomized to the gold nanoparticles or to a control group of, in the first study, an over-the-counter face wash and later, the vehicle solution minus the gold nanoparticles.
At 12 weeks’ follow-up, there was a significant reduction in inflammatory lesions and in the Investigator’s Global Assessment score. Treatment was well tolerated and results were durable at 6 months. At that time, the inflammatory lesion count was still 60% below baseline. Side effects were transient erythema and mild edema.
Dr. Munavalli serves as a scientific advisor for Sebacia.
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