Effectiveness and Safety of the Ulthera® System for Skin Laxity in the Lower Face, Submentum and Neck

June 16, 2026 updated by: Merz North America, Inc.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Safety of the Ulthera® System for Treating Skin Laxity in the Lower Face, Submentum and Neck

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate superiority of treatment with the Ulthera System compared to untreated control for the improvement of skin laxity of the lower face, submental area and neck and to demonstrate the safety of treatment with the Ulthera System for the improvement of skin laxity of the lower face, submental area and neck.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
218

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • China
    • Beijing Municipality
      • Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China, 100034
        • Recruiting
        • Merz Investigative Site
      • Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China, 100730
        • Recruiting
        • Merz Investigative Site
    • Guangdong
      • Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510317
        • Recruiting
        • Merz Investigative Site
    • Jiangsu
      • Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, 210003
        • Recruiting
        • Merz Investigative Site
    • Shaanxi
      • Xi'an, Shaanxi, China, 710004
        • Recruiting
        • Merz Investigative Site
    • Shanghai Municipality
      • Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China, 200040
        • Recruiting
        • Merz Investigative Site
      • Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality, China, 200443
        • Recruiting
        • Merz Investigative Site

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Mild to moderate lower face, submental and/or neck laxity, that is amenable to improvement with non-invasive intervention and not severe enough for surgical intervention.
  • Willing to abstain from all other aesthetic treatments on ANY part of the face, submentum or neck, including but not limited to injectable fillers, implants, neurotoxin, skin peels, laser treatments, surgical treatments, etc. for the clinical investigation's duration.
  • Willing and able to refrain from chronic use of aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for 10 to 14 days post-treatment.
  • Has an adequate understanding of the Chinese language.
  • Willing and able to comply with protocol requirements.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Scarring in area(s) to be treated.
  • Any active implants.
  • Any metallic implants in area(s) to be treated.
  • Any open wounds or lesions, including active herpes simplex, in the area(s) to be treated.
  • Presence of an active systemic or local skin disease, including active, cystic, or severe inflammatory acne in the area(s) to be treated.
  • History of keloid formation or hypertrophic scarring.

  • History of the following cosmetic treatments in area(s) to be treated:

    • Skin-tightening procedure,
    • Injectable crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA)/collagen temporary dermal fillers of the lower face, submentum or neck within the past 12 months.
    • Injectable non-crosslinked HA dermal fillers of the lower face, submentum or neck within the past 6 months.
    • Injectable semi-permanent/permanent facial fillers
    • Neurotoxin treatment of the lower face, submentum or neck within the past 6 months.
    • Liposuction of the lower face, submentum or neck within the last 12 months.
    • Fat grafting of the lower face, submentum or neck within the last 12 months.
    • Deoxycholic acid within the last 12 months; and/or
    • Chemical peeling or dermabrasion treatments within the past 12 months.
    • Cryolipolysis
  • Had prior surgery in the lower-facial area and/or neck/submentum or has a permanent implant or graft in the lower-facial area that could interfere with effectiveness assessments.
  • Has undergone oral surgery in the past 30 days.
  • Participants who have used isotretinoin or other retinoid medications within 6 months prior to enrollment or have applied topical retinoid-containing medications on the face or neck area within 2 weeks prior to enrollment or planning such treatments during the study period.
  • Marked facial asymmetry, deep dermal scarring, or thick sebaceous skin in the full face.
  • Severe solar elastosis.
  • Facial nerve palsy or history of facial nerve palsy.
  • Tattoos in the area(s) to be treated (excluding microblading eyebrow).
  • Current smoker or history of smoking in the last 12 months.
  • Current daily user of any nicotine-containing products
  • Is a female of childbearing potential1 and not using medically effective birth control 2 or is pregnant, lactating, or planning to become pregnant during the clinical investigation.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Treatment With Ulthera System
Participants randomized to receive a single treatment with Ulthera system to lower face, submentum and neck on Day 1.
Device: Ulthera System
Participants will receive treatment with the Ulthera system which consists of three primary components: the control unit, handpiece and interchangeable transducers.
Other: Control/Delayed treatment With Ulthera System
Participants will remain untreated until Day 90 and then receive a single treatment with Ulthera system to lower face, submentum and neck.
Device: Ulthera System
Participants will receive treatment with the Ulthera system which consists of three primary components: the control unit, handpiece and interchangeable transducers.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Proportion of Participants With at Least "Improved" in Lower Face, Submental and Neck Skin Laxity on Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale as Determined by the Blinded Live Evaluator (eGAIS) at Day 90 Compared to Baseline Photographs
Time Frame: Day 90
Blinded live evaluator will use eGAIS to evaluate global aesthetic improvement in the facial appearance of participants. The GAIS is a 5-point scale (1-5), where: 1(very much improved); 2 (much improved); 3 (improved); 4 (no change); 5 (worse). Higher scores indicate a worse outcome.
Day 90

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Three Independent, Blinded Raters GAIS (rGAIS) Score in Lower Face, Submental and Neck Skin Laxity at Day 90 Compared to Baseline Photographs
Time Frame: Day 90
Three independent, blinded raters will use rGAIS to evaluate global aesthetic improvement in the facial appearance of participants. The GAIS is a 5-point scale (1-5), where: 1(very much improved); 2 (much improved); 3 (improved); 4 (no change); 5 (worse). Higher scores indicate a worse outcome.
Day 90
Treating Investigator's GAIS (iGAIS) Score in Lower Face, Submental and Neck Skin Laxity at Day 90 Compared to Baseline Photographs
Time Frame: Day 90
Treating investigators will use the iGAIS to assess overall aesthetic improvement of the lower face, submentum, and neck. The GAIS is a 5-point scale (1-5), where: 1(very much improved); 2 (much improved); 3 (improved); 4 (no change); 5 (worse). Higher scores indicate a worse outcome. This outcome measure is prespecified for the Treatment Group only.
Day 90
Participant's GAIS (pGAIS) Scores in Lower Face, Submental Skin and Neck Laxity at Day 90 Compared to Baseline Photographs
Time Frame: Day 90
Participants will self-report using the pGAIS to assess overall aesthetic improvement of the lower face, submentum, and neck. The pGAIS is a 5-point scale (1-5), where: 1(very much improved); 2 (much improved); 3 (improved); 4 (no change); 5 (worse). Higher scores indicate a worse outcome. This outcome measure is prespecified for the Treatment Group only.
Day 90

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Merz North America, Inc.

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Ulthera, Inc

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Director: Merz Medical Expert, Merz North America, Inc.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 15, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
March 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 22, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 22, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 29, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 16, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • ULT-LAX-CN002

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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