Study Examines Exosomes, Fractional CO2 for Acne Scars

BENEV Company, Inc., an FDA registered cosmeceutical manufacturer, recently announced the release of its 12-week prospective, double-blind, randomized, split-face investigational report using combination therapy with human adipose tissue stem cell-derived exosomes and fractional CO2 laser for the treatment of acne scars.

“Patients suffering from acne scarring range in all ages, and the pain that they feel is very real,” says Richard Jin, M.D., Ph.D., in the press release announcing the study.

The Acta Dermato-Venereologica study included a total of 25 patients, 18 men and seven women between ages 19 and 54, who received three consecutive treatments of fractional CO2 laser to the whole face, along with a follow-up evaluation.

Study patients included 12 with Fitzpatrick skin type III and 13 with Fitzpatrick IV and atrophic acne scars.

Post-laser treatment, patients were treated with an adipose tissue stem cell-derived exosome gel on one side of the face and a control gel was applied to the other side.

The exosomes used in the study were acquired from human adipose-derived stem cell conditioned medium by ExoSCRT technology developed by ExoCoBio, Inc.

Study researchers found that the exosome-treated side of the face had a significantly greater improvement compared with the control side at the final follow up visit (32.5 vs 19.9%, p < 0.01).

Downtime was shorter on exosome-treated side and experienced milder treatment-related erythema as well.

"While ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing has demonstrated clinical efficacy in acne scar treatments, patients have sustained side-effects during post-procedural wound healing and had demanded improvement,” says Diane Duncan, M.D., F.A.C.S., in the release. “The adjuvant application of adipose-derived stem cell conditioned medium with synergistic effects in augmenting treatment responses and reducing adverse effects through its potential to accelerate tissue rejuvenation is a victory for those suffering."

These findings suggest, according to study authors, that human adipose tissue stem cell-derived exosomes can be an efficacious cell-free regenerative and aesthetic strategy and adequate adjuvant treatment modality when used in combination with fractional CO2 laser for the treatment of acne and atrophic scars.

"The science is clearly demonstrating that exosomes are the wave of the future not just for aesthetics but for many other areas of medicine, and the richest source of this material, by far, is adipose tissue," says Randy Miller, M.D., F.A.C.S., in the release.

Reference:

Kwon H, Yang S, Lee J, et al. Combination treatment with human adipose tissue stem cell-derived exosomes and fractional co2 laser for acne scars: a 12-week prospective, double-blind, randomized, split-face study. Acta Derm Venereol. 2020;100(18):adv00310.