According to an advisory issued by Health Canada, patients taking epilepsy drug carbamazepine may face serious skin complications, such as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. The advisory further states that while all patients taking the drug are at risk, the risk increases ten-fold in patients of Asian origin.
DUSA Pharmaceuticals Inc. has announced the completion for the enrollment of acne Phase IIb trial. The company plans to study the effects of multiple broad area photodynamic therapy (PDT) treatments, Levulan®, Kerastick® and BLU-U® brands as compared to the use of BLU-U® alone. Thus, the company will be able to evaluate the incremental advantage of Levulan® along with BLU-U® blue light therapy in acne treatment.
XenaCare Holdings Inc. has officially launched its new product called the SunPill® after an 8-month development program. The SunPill® is a dietary supplement that helps the skin protects itself from the harmful rays of the sun. The proprietary combination of ingredients with powerful antioxidant properties in the product helps the body’s own natural defense when it comes to exposure to the sun.
ZymoGenetics Inc. has presented results at the American Burn Association annual meeting from a clinical trial with RECOTHROM™ Thrombin, a topical (Recombinant) administered by spray device to burn wound excision sites. The study revealed that the topical application of RECOTHROM using a pump spray device was well tolerated and it demonstrated a similar safety profile and rate of antibody formation to that observed in the rThrombin Phase 3 clinical trial.
Clinical studies have found that certain types of bacteria residing in the gut of babies with a family history of allergic conditions can reduce the number of young ones who go on to develop eczema. Eczema currently affects about 10% of all infants, half of whom go on to develop other allergic conditions, such as hayfever or asthma. The studies presented at the International Symposium offer hope that babies’ natural defenses can be boosted with the use of the right bacterial strains and appropriate prebiotic mixtures and the that the risk of their developing eczema can be reduced.
Provectus Pharmaceuticals Inc has received allowance of its patent application in the European Union for its lead dermatology agent, PH-10, along with a number of related agents and their use. Provectus has also received allowance for another patent application in Canada, covering applicator devices used with PH-10 and related agents. PH-10 is currently undergoing phase 2 clinical testing in New York City for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis, and Provectus expects to commence phase 2 testing for another indication within the next few months.
Reliant Technologies has received FDA approval for its 510(k) submission for its Fraxel repair laser system for Fractional Deep Dermal Ablation (FDDA™) treatment. The system is used for treating wrinkles, rhytides, furrows, fine lines, textural irregularities, pigmented lesions and vascular dyschromia. The Fraxel repair laser system already had clearance for ablation, coagulation and skin resurfacing.
In late January, a consumer group called Public Citizen filed a petition with the FDA requesting labeling alterations for botulinum toxins (Botox(R)) or Myobloc(R)) marketed in the U.S. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), which is the sole plastic surgery organization devoted completely to the advancement of cosmetic surgery, said that “the safety references in the petition are already satisfactorily addressed in the manufacturer labeling with detailed information and guidance, including approved indications, contraindications, warnings, drug interactions, precautions, and reported adverse event information.”
The ASAPS added that the product is “safe and efficacious,” while recommending its continued use as indicated.
As skin cancer cases continue to rise, the worldwide deployment of In Vivo Reflectance Confocal Microscopy (RCM) (Confocal Imaging) technology – which produces digital images of a patient’s skin with cellular detail similar to that obtained from histology of surgical biopsies – can help healthcare practitioners both speed and improve their clinical judgments and assist in monitoring treatment. In support of RCM technology, the world’s first available comprehensive atlas detailing the technology has been published.
Reflectance Confocal Microscopy of Cutaneous Tumors: An Atlas with Clinical, Dermoscopic and Histological Correlations
Specifically, In Vivo Reflectance Confocal Microscopy allows optical sectioning of an area of skin without physical sectioning, assisting dermatologists to examine detailed features of a skin lesion without taking a biopsy specimen. RCM technology can also assist dermatopathologists to determine the best location for a section and dermatological surgeons to determine the margins of a lesion to be excised.
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