Vaccines could be about to revolutionise acne treatments
New Scientist · Michael Le Page ·
Acne could be caused by our immune systems overreacting to proteins released by skin bacteria. Columnist Michael Le Page looks into the experimental treatments aiming to block this process and prevent or reduce acne
Can we prevent acne by targeting proteins released by C. acnes bacteria?
It’s a cruel twist. Just as we become more concerned about our appearance, our faces start to erupt in great red spots. Pimples cause anguish for many teenagers and can persist into adulthood too. But now two companies are developing vaccines that they hope will revolutionise the treatment of acne. Is an end to the misery at hand?
The main idea behind this new approach is that acne is caused by the immune system overreacting to proteins released by skin bacteria. Triggering the body to produce antibodies against these proteins should block this process and prevent – or at least reduce – acne. Pharma giant Sanofi is preparing for trials in the US and Canada of an mRNA vaccine targeting at least one bacterial protein, while US start-up Armora Biosciences is focusing on a different protein.
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