Background

Dyschromia can be associated with increased production and/or reduced clearance of pigmentation in the skin. Multiple pathways are involved in causality. A novel topical product was recently developed, which contains actives that have been validated through in-vitro and clinical studies to counteract pigmentation related to photodamage, PIH, and melasma. This study further evaluates the safety and efficacy of this product for facial dyschromia during an additional 3-month extension period following the completion of the previous 12-week multi-center trial.  Study Design: Subjects from the previous multi-center trial with mild to severe facial dyschromia at baseline were eligible to participate in this 3-month extension study upon completion of that trial. This extension study evaluated the continued use of the novel topical product with PATH-3 Technology (Alastin Skincare, Carlsbad, CA) over a 3-month period. Subjects who were previously randomized to the novel topical product continued using it and for those previously randomized to hydroquinone 4% discontinued its use. Both cohorts continued daily sunscreen use. Blinded investigators assessed subjects at follow-up visits at 16, 20, and 24 weeks.

Results

Twenty-six (26) subjects completed the extension phase of the pivotal trial, with 13 subjects in each of the AL and HQ-BREAK cohorts. Significant improvements were seen within the AL cohort from weeks 12 to 24 for facial dyschromia (P=0.0158) and skin tone/clarity/evenness (P=0.0067), while there were no significant improvements seen in the HQ-BREAK cohort. The HQ-BREAK cohort had more subjects who worsened with facial dyschromia and skin tone/clarity/evenness. For the mMASI, the HQ-BREAK cohort demonstrated regression at week 24 compared to week 12, while the AL cohort instead experienced continued improvement. This difference was found to be significant (P=0.02). No study-related adverse events were reported for either cohort.  Conclusion: A novel topical product designed to counteract various steps in pigmentation pathways using PATH-3 Technology has been demonstrated to be safe and effective in treating facial dyschromia on a long-term basis. In contrast to the significant rebound experienced by subjects with HQ, the AL cohort continued to demonstrate ongoing improvement. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(1):1266-1270.     doi:10.36849/JDD.7622.