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Palmitoyl Pentapeptide Challenges Retinol as a Treatment for Photo-aged Skin: Presented at WCD

By Jill Stein
Special to DG News

PARIS, FRANCE -- July 3, 2002 -- Two teams of investigators say palmitoyl pentapeptide (Pal-KTTKS) is as effective as retinol in improving the effects of photo-aging but lacks the side effects often associated with retinol.

The findings from two separate trials were presented here today at the 20^th World Congress of Dermatology (WCD).

The first study, conducted by Dr. Karl Lintner, with Sederma SA in Paris, France, and colleagues, examined the effects of palmitoyl pentapeptide 3 ppm versus retinol 700 ppm on photo-aged skin. This double-blind half-face study enrolled 16 healthy women. For four months, they applied a cream containing 700 ppm of retinol to the crow's feet area on one side of the face and the same base cream containing 3 ppm of palmitoyl pentapeptide to the other side of the face.

Patients applied the creams once daily for the first two months of the trial, then twice daily during months 3 and 4.

Significant improvement of the skin profile (determined by profilometry of wrinkle depth, length, volume, roughness) for patients using the peptide was observed at the two-month evaluation versus baseline with further improvement versus baseline after four months.

Dermatological scoring as well as image analysis confirmed a decrease in overall roughness and deep facial wrinkles with both treatments after four months. Although skin thickness increased by an average of 9 percent after four months for both treatments, the two-month data suggested that palmitoyl pentapeptide thickened the skin about 1.5 times faster than retinol.

Palmitoyl pentapeptide did not cause the inflammatory reactions frequently associated with retinol treatment.

Overall, the results suggest that palmitoyl pentapeptide is as effective as retinol at regenerating the skin but without the irritation that often occurs secondary to retinoid use, Dr. Lintner said.

Dr. Lintner and Dr. Jean Revuz, with Mondor Hospital in Paris and the current president of the WCD, presented the results of the second study, which examined the effects of palmitoyl pentapeptide 5 ppm on the structure of elastin and collagen IV in 49 women with photo-aged skin.

Over the course of the four-month, blinded study, the women who used 5 ppm of palmitoyl pentapeptide had substantial improvements in skin roughness, wrinkle volume, and wrinkle depth. Skin biopsies conducted on six patients indicated that palmitoyl pentapeptide triggered growth in elastin and collagen IV and enhanced the structure of elastin and collagen IV.

The researchers note that the peptide was not associated with any side effects and was "a safe and potent alternative to Retinoids in wrinkle repair."

Palmitoyl pentapeptide is a lipophilic modified peptide that is presently being investigated as an anti-aging ingredient. The peptide was developed by Sederma SA and is being tested by Sederma and Procter & Gamble Company in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Both studies were supported by Sederma SA.

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