Researchers have found that a novel topical isotretinoin formulation may effectively treat patients with congenital ichthyosis, according to a press release from Yale University. Marked by dry, scaly, red, inflamed, and itchy patches of skin that can cover most of the body, ichthyosis is a disfiguring skin disease that either slows down skin shedding or accelerates skin production—and can lead to emotional and psychosocial trauma in addition to its physical symptoms. The novel treatment works by targeting retinoic acid receptors in the skin cells to regulate skin shedding and production. In phase II clinical trials, researchers discovered that all patients with ichthyosis who received the novel topical isotretinoin formulation saw at least a 50% reduction in their disease severity. The topical isotretinoin formulation also proved safe and efficacious in a separate phase II trial, demonstrating that a lower concentration of the medication may provide the most promising results. Peyton Fleagle, one such patient involved in the clinical trials who had scales over 95% of his body, has witnessed his ichthyosis entirely disappear after taking the medication—as have some other patients involved in the trials. “Several of my patients have seen transformative results, where their … skin [is] clear for the first time. The studies show that when patients use the medicine as indicated, most of them show improvement,” concluded Christopher Bunick, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Dermatology at the Yale School of Medicine. The researchers plan to pursue U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for their novel topical isotretinoin formulation after testing the agent in further phase III clinical trials.
April 30, 2023