Visfatin therapeutic agents for the treatment of acne and other conditions

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for treating acne and other conditions. In particular, the compositions and methods are useful for the treatment of sebum associated conditions.

Description

PRIORITY[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 208,386 filed Feb. 24, 2009 and entitled “Visfatin—Therapeutic Agent for Treating Acne” and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 261,453 filed Nov. 16, 2009 and also entitled “Visfatin—a Therapeutic Agent for Treating Acne” the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods for treating acne and other conditions such as dry or oily skin, associated with altered skin sebum levels.BACKGROUND[0003]Acne vulgaris one of the most treated skin condition in the United States and other countries. Acne vulgaris is a commonly referred to simply as “acne” even though many other different and clinically distinct forms of acne are know. Acne affects many adolescents and adults.[0004]The earliest evidence of acne is usually the formation of a sebaceous plug in the pores of hair follicles present in ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0025]Another aspect of the disclosure is a method of increasing the sebum production of a subject comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a visfatin agonist composition, or a pharmaceutical composition containing a visfatin agonist, to the skin of a subject; whereby the sebum production of the subject is increased.

Problems solved by technology

Meanwhile, the resulting plug of cells and sebum may adhere to the walls of the skin pore leading to the formation of an even larger plug in the pore and the subsequent widening of the pore.

These enlarged plugs are called comedones and are commonly referred to as “blackheads” or “whiteheads.” Eventually, this enlargement can lead to the rupture of the pore walls and an inflammatory response.

However, the resulting encapsulation is often incomplete and may instead cause further rupture of the lesions that have been produced.

Acne can produce scarring and is regarded as unesthetic and unattractive.

As a result, the other effects of acne are often psychological, such as reduced self-esteem.

Importantly, the majority of these treatment strategies suffer from limited efficacy or undesirable side effects.

Unfortunately, isotretinoin is a known teratogen and can cause birth defects.

However, a number of side effects are also associated with benzoyl peroxide treatment including contact sensitivities such as burning, itching, peeling and swelling of the skin.

However, anti-androgen treatment by oral administration, or other routes, is typically restricted to female patients.

This is because male patients receiving anti-androgens can develop female secondary characteristics such as breast enlargement and may suffer a loss of male secondary sex characteristics.

Altogether, this means there are serious limitations and side-effects associated with anti-androgen based acne treatment.

However, a major limitation to the use of antibiotics to treat acne is an increase in the number of antibiotic resistant bacterial strains, including antibiotic resistant P. acnes strains, now in circulation.

Sebocytes filled with these sebum components eventually lose their integrity and rupture.

However, as discussed above, many of the strategies used to treat acne and control sebum production have undesirable side effects or other significant limitations.

This means the biological activities of visfatin and its role in physiological processes, such as the pathogenesis of acne and other conditions related to sebum production, are poorly understood.

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