“People tend to dismiss the impact of acne because
it’s not life-threatening, but patients with severe acne
know all too well the very real suffering caused by this disfiguring
disease.” Kathy O’Connell, MD, PhD, U.S.
Food and Drug Administration, 2001.
Acne (acne vulgaris) is a disease of the skin that affects more
than 85% of adolescents and young adults. According to the American
Academy of Dermatology, the average age for acne sufferers is
now 26 years old. The swiftly expanding market for acne treatments
is being ever more driven by the increasing numbers of adolescents
and young adults in Western society. The worldwide acne market
is worth in excess of $2bn, and sales of non-prescription acne
treatments alone are predicted to reach more than $561m by 2008.
 The development of acne begins with blockage of skin hair follicles
due to excessive secretion of oils from the sebaceous glands
and a build up of dead skin cells. This provides ideal conditions
for the uncontrolled multiplication of skin bacteria and yeasts,
especially Propionibacterium acnes and Malassezia
furfur. Other complications of acne infections include:
- Physical pain and psychosocial
suffering
- Anxiety and depression
- Physical scarring
Prescription antibiotics are the most commonly used acne treatment.
However, emerging antibiotic resistance is rising. Additionally,
many current non-antibiotic-based acne treatments have well documented
negative side-effects. This is why NovaBiotics has identified
a need for alternative anti-acne therapies with an emphasis on
safety and toxicology, as well as antimicrobial properties. The
key selling point of the NovaBiotics antimicrobials for the treatment
of acne is that they are broad-spectrum and can kill both the
bacteria and yeasts associated with acne (P. acnes and M.
furfur).
 Rational drug design by NovaBiotics scientists has generated
antimicrobial compounds with a significantly reduced probability
of resistance developing compared to current antibiotics. NovaBiotics
Ltd compounds are significantly less toxic than many currently
used antibiotics, whilst retaining high degrees of antimicrobial
activity. NovaBiotics Ltd proprietary active compounds, therefore,
have the potential to provide a better standard of treatment,
and provide an efficient, safe and easy-to-use topical preparation
for the treatment of acne.
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