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Quest PharmaTech Initiates a Fifty Patient Pivotal Clinical Trial for Cosmetic Hair Removal Applications
Quest PharmaTech Initiates a Fifty Patient Pivotal Clinical Trial for Cosmetic Hair Removal Applications.
About this update from Quest Pharmatech Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n\nTrading Symbol: QPT: TSX Venture Exchange\n\n\n- SL017 Receives Health Canada Clearance -\n\n\nEDMONTON, Jan. 9 /CNW/ - Quest PharmaTech Inc. (\"Quest\" or the \"Company\")\nis pleased to announce that it has received clearance from the Therapeutic\nProducts Directorate of Health Canada to initiate a Fifty Patient clinical\ntrial to investigate the appropriate light dose to be used with the topical\ngel for cosmetic hair removal applications of its lead photodynamic therapy\n(PDT) compound SL017. The Principal Investigator for the trial is Dr. Robert\nBissonnette, M.D., President of Innovaderm Research in Montreal. Innovaderm\nhas already received necessary ethics committee approval to recruit patients\nfor this trial. The trial is anticipated to be completed in six months.\n\n\nQuest has already completed a Phase I study for the assessment of\nhistological localization of SL017 Topical Gel in hair follicles. The Phase I\nstudy results demonstrated that the product is well tolerated with\npreferential localization of the drug in hair follicles. The current trial is\ndesigned to study the combination of SL017 Topical Gel with Intense Pulse\nLight for hair removal.\n\n\nPermanent removal of unwanted hair remains a considerable therapeutic\nchallenge. Over the past few years, new technologies have emerged for hair\nremoval. One of them is photo-epilation. This technology is based on laser and\nother light sources emitting in red and/or near-infrared wavelength regions.\nAlthough these techniques have been shown to induce permanent hair reduction,\na series of 4-8 sessions, and sometimes more, are required. In addition, this\nwill only achieve a 75%-85% permanent hair reduction and the use of another\ntechnique, such as electrolysis is often necessary after the laser or Intense\nPulse Light treatment. Another main limitation of light based hair removal is\nthe inability to reduce the number of blond, red or white hairs. The use of\nSL017 that localizes in the hair follicle has the potential to overcome these\nlimitations and enhance the effectiveness of photo-epilation.\n\n\nQuest's strategy is to market SL017 to Asian and Canadian consumers as an\n\"aid for hair removal with an approved light based depilatory system\". The\nCompany is in the process of registering SL017 as a cosmetic ingredient with\nInternational Nomenclat...