A Study to Evaluate the Reduction in Sebum (Skin Oil) Induced by Clascoterone Cream 1% in Acne Patients

Clinical Evaluation of the Sebum Reduction Induced by Clascoterone Cream 1%

The etiology of acne is heavily dependent on the production of sebum by the sebaceous glands that results in the growth of the bacteria c. acnes. If no sebum is present, there is no nutritional source for the c. acnes, the bacteria die, and acne resolves. An FDA approved acne medication consisting of clascoterone cream 1% is believed to effectively treat acne due to a decrease in sebum production. This mechanism of action has been postulated based on efficacy observed in the phase III trials that lead to its approval. This research aims to demonstrate the effect of clascoterone cream 1% in sebum reduction.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Acne Vulgaris
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: Winlevi (clascoterone) 1% cream

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 40
• Phase: Phase 4

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Carolina
    • High Point, North Carolina, United States, 27262
      • Dermatology Consulting Services, PLLC

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Males and females 12+ years of age.
2. Subjects with mild to moderate acne.
3. Subjects must possess 10-100 total non-inflammatory lesions (open comedones and closed comedones), 10-50 total inflammatory lesions, no cysts, and up to 2 nodules (if deemed appropriate by the PI) on the face.
4. Subjects with all Fitzpatrick skin types I-VI.
5. Subjects who agree to use only the study products for acne treatment. No other medicated cleansers or moisturizers or acne treatments of any kind are allowed.
6. Subjects agree not to introduce any new colored cosmetics or skin care products while participating in the study (lipsticks, eye shadows, facial foundations, blush, powder, cleansers, moisturizers).
7. Subjects agree to arrive at all visits with a clean face, having washed his/her face and removed all facial and eye makeup products within 2 hours to 4 hours prior to the visit and is not to use/apply any topical facial product(s) until the visit is completed.
8. No known medical conditions that, in the investigator's opinion, may interfere with study participation.
9. Women of childbearing potential must be willing to use a form of birth control during the study. For the purpose of this study, the following are considered acceptable methods of birth control: oral contraceptives, Norplant, Depo-Provera, double barrier methods (e.g., condom and spermicide) and abstinence.
10. Subjects are dependable and able to follow directions and willing to comply with the schedule of visits.
11. Subjects in generally good physical and mental health.
12. Able to read, write, speak, and understand English
13. Individual (and/or his/her legally acceptable representative, as applicable) has signed the Consent for Photograph Release and ICD (and/or Assent Document, as applicable) including Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) disclosure.
14. Subject must avoid sun exposure, or use sunscreen if sun exposure is unavoidable.
15. Subject must avoid professional or facial spa procedures during the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Any dermatological disorder, which in the investigator's opinion, may interfere with the accurate evaluation of the subject's skin characteristics, except for the study condition of acne.
2. Subjects who are not willing to use the assigned study product to their face as instructed.
3. Subjects who have acne nodules/cysts representative of severe acne.

4. Subjects who are currently using, planning to use during the study or has used any of the following in the specified time range (based on subject report):

   • 1 month prior to Visit 1: Prescription (oral or topically applied on the face) antibiotics, inhaled steroids (except those prescribed for allergies), or hormones (pre- or post-menopausal hormone-replacement therapy; insulin, etc.), or other medications that could make skin more sensitive or have an effect on the skin, as determined by the PI or designee. Oral contraceptives are acceptable.
   • 1 month prior to Visit 1: Prescription medication for acne (e.g. doxycycline, minocycline, clindamycin, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim [Bactrim], tetracycline, erythromycin, azithromycin, or Vibramycin®)
   • 1 month prior to Visit 1: Topical prescription retinoids (e.g. Retin-A®, Retin-A Micro®, Renova®, Adapalene, Tazarotene, Avita®, Tazorac®, Avage®, Differin®), azelaic acid, benzoyl peroxide, dapsone, sodium sulfacetamide, Epiduo®, or other similar prescription drug on the face
   • 6 months prior to Visit 1: Accutane or other oral retinoid

   • 2 weeks prior to Visit 1: Any of the following on the face:

     • Light therapy
     • OTC topical medications/products (including antiacne or antibacterial agents, topical anti-inflammatories, topical retinoids, etc.). Sunscreens (SPF) are acceptable.
5. Females who are pregnant, lactating, or planning to become pregnant during the study or within 30 days of study completion. (Subject must document her response in either the source documentation or informed consent/assent forms).
6. Subject has a surgery and/or invasive medical procedure planned during the study.
7. Subject has observable suntan, scars, nevi, tattoo, excessive hair (including beard, mustache, or goatee), or other dermal conditions on the face that that could interfere with study evaluations or confound study results, as determined by the PI or designee.

8. Subject is taking medications that would mask an adverse event (AE) or influence the study results, including:

   • Immunosuppressive drugs and steroidal and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs within 3 months before Visit 1 and during the study.
   • Regular use of antihistamines within 1 month before Visit 1 and during the study.
9. Subject has a history of or a concurrent health condition/situation, which in the opinion of the PI, if medically qualified, or Study Physician, may put the individual at significant risk, confound the study results, or interfere significantly with the individual's participation in the study.
10. Subject is an employee/contractor or immediate family member of the PI, Study Site, or Sponsor.
11. Subjects with clinically significant unstable medical disorders.
12. Subjects who are unwilling or unable to comply with the requirements of the protocol.
13. Subjects with any known allergies or sensitivities to the study acne products.
14. Subjects who are currently under the care of a dermatologist for acne.
15. Subjects who are currently experiencing an acne flare.
16. Subjects who have history of a psychological illness or condition that would interfere with their ability to understand and follow the requirements of the study.
17. Subjects having started hormone replacement therapies (HRT) or hormones for birth control less than 3 months prior to the study entry or who plan on starting, stopping or changing doses of HRT or hormones for birth control during the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Winlevi (clascoterone) 1% cream	Drug: Winlevi (clascoterone) 1% cream; Twice daily (BID) dosing

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The Primary Efficacy Endpoint is the Change in Causal Sebum Measurements From the Forehead Obtained With a Sebumeter During the Study.	The values represents the mean change from baseline. Casual sebum level is measured using a Sebumeter by means of grease-spot photometry. In this method, the measuring head of a cassette probe briefly exposes a section of a mat tape and brings it into contact with the sebum present on the surface of the forehead. As the tape absorbs sebum, it becomes increasingly transparent; conversely, lower levels of sebum result in less transparency. After contact, the tape is inserted into the device, which determines its transparency using a photocell-based light transmission measurement. The amount of transmitted light-reported in units from 0 to 350 µg/cm²-corresponds to the level of sebum present on the skin surface. The measurement has an estimated uncertainty of ±5%.	Weeks 16

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The Secondary Efficacy Endpoint is the Changes in the Facial Microbiome Induced by 12, and 52 Weeks of Clascoterone 1% Cream Application.	Changes in the skin microbiome - specifically Cutibacterium acnes - were evaluated by swabbing each subject's forehead to obtain microbiological samples. The swab samples were treated with metapolyzyme to lyse cells, after which DNA was isolated and quantified. DNA sequencing was used to quantify Cutibacterium acnes as relative abundance, defined as the proportion of total bacterial sequencing reads attributable to C. acnes (range, 0-1). For each sample, the abundance score of C. acnes was converted to relative abundance, and descriptive statistics (mean, median, and standard deviation) were calculated across time points. Statistical significance between pairs of time points was assessed using a Wilcoxon rank-sum test, implemented within the ggpubr plotting framework.	Baseline, Week 12, and Week 52

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Draelos ZD, Kyeremateng K, Squittieri N. Reduction in Facial Sebum Production Following Treatment with Clascoterone Cream 1% in Patients with Acne Vulgaris: 12-Week Interim Analysis. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2025 Sep;15(9):2657-2666. doi: 10.1007/s13555-025-01495-y. Epub 2025 Jul 19.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 14, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 12, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): February 12, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 10, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 10, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): May 16, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 15, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 18, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Skin Diseases; Acneiform Eruptions; Sebaceous Gland Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Acne Vulgaris; Clascoterone
• Other Study ID Numbers: DCS-67-22

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: Yes
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No