SL017 for Hair Removal – In Phase II Clinical Trial

The lead compound from Quest is a topical formulation of an HB derivative code named SL017. This product is applied to human skin, allowed to penetrate into the target areas and is then illuminated with light of a specific wavelength in the red spectrum. Once illuminated, the non-toxic SL017 is transformed into an extremely potent cytotoxic agent which can selectively destroy diseased tissue. SL017 is under clinical evaluation in three indications: Actinic Keratosis, acne vulgaris and for permanent hair removal.

The permanent removal of unwanted body hair constitutes a major, untapped market. The only current reliable method is laser hair removal. However, many skin/hair types are not amenable to laser treatment, and in any case the procedure is time-consuming and expensive. Quest PharmaTech has evidence to indicate that photodynamic therapy using SL017 could be a potential simple and rapid method for permanent hair removal.

Quest has completed a Phase I study for the assessment of histological localization of SL017 Topical Gel in hair follicles and sebaceous glands. The Phase I study results showed that the product is well tolerated with no adverse events. Localization of the drug in hair follicles was also detected. Based on the results of the Phase I study, Quest initiated a 110 patient Phase II clinical trial in Q1, 2007 to study the combination of SL017 topical gel with Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and other light devices for hair removal. Use of SL017 with a light based hair removal device is likely to overcome some of the limitations (low efficacy on blond, red or white hair) associated with light treatment alone.

Florescence	HE Stained	Florescence and HE stain superimposed

Phase I Clinical Trial Results Showing Localization of SL017 in Hair Follicles

After 1 month


Effect of PDT Hair Removal with SL017

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