use of artefill® for moderate to severe atrophic acne scar correction

Conditions: Atrophic Acne Scar

Summary: the purpose of this study is to determine whether artefill is safe and effective for the correction of atrophic facial acne scars.

this is a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessing the efficacy and safety of artefill for correction of moderate to severe atrophic acne scars. the study is divided into two study periods. in period i, scars meeting the treatment criteria will be individually identified, numbered and mapped using photographs and transparent sheets prior to treatment. this mapping will be used to track individual scars throughout the trial. four (4) weeks following a baseline qualification visit, subjects randomized to treatment will receive one treatment of artefill or control (saline), administered by the treating investigator. at 72 hours following injections, subjects will be followed-up by telephone to confirm the occurrence of any aes. subjects will return to the clinic at 2 weeks for follow-up evaluation, and then at 4 weeks where subjects may receive one optional touch-up treatment. subjects receiving touch-up treatment will be followed-up by telephone at 72 hours to confirm the occurrence of any aes, and return for clinic visits at 6 weeks and 8 weeks. all subjects will then return for clinic follow-up at months 3 and 6 (after last treatment). period ii is open label and will begin at month 6. artefill group subjects will return to the clinic for assessments at months 9 and 12 (track a) and control group subjects will enter track b, re-establish baseline, and complete additional month 6 visit activities including artefill treatment. subjects will receive touch up (if required) 4 weeks later, and be followed for an additional 12 months. subjects will be required to abstain from other aesthetic treatment to their face during the study period and failure to do so will be considered a protocol violation. however, if a subject does receive additional aesthetic or non-aesthetic treatments, available information on such treatment will be collected and the subject will be continued to be followed per protocol. such subjects will not be excluded from the analysis, but will also be evaluated separately.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: 1. subject must be an outpatient, male or female subjects of any race, 18 years of age or older. female subjects of childbearing potential must have a negative urine pregnancy test result at baseline and practice a reliable method of contraception throughout the study. 2. subject must have moderate to severe atrophic acne scars 3. subject must desire correction of his/her moderate to severe acne scarring. 4. subjects of all fitzpatrick skin types are eligible. 5. subject must be willing to withhold additional aesthetic therapies to the face (eg, other soft tissue fillers: restylane, radiesse, sculptra, and/or any resurfacing procedures for the duration of the study. 6. subject must be able to follow study instructions and likely to complete all required visits, as assessed by the investigator. 7. subject must sign an irb-approved informed consent form, photographic release form, and the authorization for use and release of health and research study information (hipaa) form prior to any study-related procedures being performed exclusion criteria: 1. female subjects that are pregnant (positive urine pregnancy test), breast-feeding, or who are of childbearing potential and not practicing a reliable method of birth control. 2. undergo facial treatments with any listed of the prohibited treatment/procedures and/or use of any other prohibited treatment/procedure within certain time periods. 3. have any skin pathology or condition that could interfere with the evaluation of the treatment areas, worsen due to the proposed treatment or require interfering topical, systemic or surgical therapy. 4. have a recent or current history of inflammatory skin disease, infection, cancerous/pre-cancerous lesion, unhealed wound or clinically significant acne in the proposed treatment areas. clinically significant acne is defined as a patient whom has \>3 active inflammatory acne lesions in either the right or left treatment area. 5. have a history of systemic granulomatous diseases active or inactive (eg, sarcoid, wegeners, tb, etc.) or connective tissue diseases (eg, lupus, dermatomyositis, etc.). 6. have hypertrophic acne scars, any evidence of keloid scarring, predominantly icepick scarring (defined as more than half of all scar area in either the left or right or treatment area) or sinus tract scars. 7. have a known hypersensitivity or previous allergic reaction to any of the components of the study device (including lidocaine or any amide-based anesthetic), or has a history of allergies to any bovine collagen products, including but not limited to injectable collagen, collagen implants, hemostatic sponges, and collagen-based sutures.

Keywords: acne