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CompletedNCT02003833Updated Nov 20, 2015

Poly-L-lactic Acid for Skin Quality

A Phase 4 interventional study of Poly-L-lactic acid and Placebo comparator in Skin Aging, sponsored by Sadick Research Group. Completed at 2 sites in United States. Open to female participants aged 30 Years to 60 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2015-11-20.

Sponsored by Sadick Research Group · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
40
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
30 Years to 60 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

Anecdotal evidence suggests that patients' skin quality may improve as a result of poly-L-lactic acid injection. While this is not the primary goal of such treatments it is often seen and described as so called "Sculptra glow".

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of repeated subcutaneous injections of poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra Aesthetic) on skin quality.

Participating subjects will be part of the study for about 15 months. There will be an initial treatment period of up to 12 weeks, followed by a 12-month follow-up period. There will be a total of 7 scheduled visits.

This study is a double-blind, randomized study. "Double-blind" means that neither the subjects nor the study doctor will know who is receiving Sculptra Aesthetic or placebo. "Randomized" means that the group subjects will be placed in is decided by chance, similar to drawing numbers out of a hat or flipping a coin. Subjects will have a 1 out of 2 chance of receiving the active study drug. After the completion of the study, if subjects are assigned to the control (placebo) group they will receive free injections with Sculptra Aesthetic same as the treatment group.

02

Conditions studied

  • Skin Aging

Keywords

  • Poly-L-lactic acid
  • Sculptra Aesthetic
  • Skin Quality
  • Wrinkles
  • Filler
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Sadick Research Group is the lead sponsor of 6 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
30 Years to 60 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Subjects who are able to give voluntary, written to participate in this study and from whom consent has been obtained including HIPAA authorization
  • Healthy females between 30 and 60 years of age
  • Subjects with Fitzpatrick photo skin types I-IV
  • Subjects with shallow to deep nasolabial fold contour deficiencies or other facial wrinkles
  • Subjects who agree not to have any procedures affecting facial wrinkles (e.g. filler, botulinum toxin, radiofrequency, laser, IPL, ultrasound) for the duration of the study
  • Subjects who do agree not to have any other procedures affecting skin quality (microdermabrasion, peels, acne treatments, etc.) for the duration of the study
  • Subjects who understand this study and are able to follow study instructions and are willing to attend the required study visits
  • Subjects who agree to be photographed for research reasons and their identity may not be concealed in these photographs.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Subjects who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or breastfeeding. A urine pregnancy test will be done to rule out pregnancy
  • Subjects of who are not using an approved method of (oral contraceptives, IUD, contraceptive implant, barrier methods with spermicide or abstinence). Females of non-childbearing potential are defined as (absence of menstrual bleeding for one year), hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy.
  • Subjects who cannot understand or are not willing to comply with the requirements of the study
  • Subjects who have a known allergy to poly-L-lactic acid, carboxymethylcellulose, non-pyrogenic mannitol or any anesthetic
  • Subjects who have taken any NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.) within 7 days before treatment
  • Subjects who have taken acetaminophen 24 hours before treatment
  • Subjects who have had fillers or botulinum toxin in the treatment area in the past 12 months
  • Subjects who have had treatments with poly-L-lactic acid in the face at any time
  • Subjects who have had any kind of facial dermabrasion, chemical peel, laser, or IPL treatment including superficial treatments for aesthetic reasons in the past 6 months or for the duration of the study
  • Subjects who does not agree to avoid using tanning beds or intensive exposure to the sun 2 two weeks prior to each office visit.
  • Subjects who have any dermatologic conditions including acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, actinic keratosis, severe sun damage, infection or scars within the treatment area
  • Subjects who have an active inflammatory process (skin eruptions such as cysts, pimples, rashes or hives) or infection within the treatment area
  • Subjects who have any known cancer including skin cancers (basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma)
  • Subjects who have had systemic therapy in the past 6 months or for the duration of the study
  • Subjects with a known history of poor wound healing
  • Subjects with a known history of keloids (excessive scarring)
  • Subjects who are positive
  • Subjects who have an existing medical condition that the Investigator considers may put the subject at risk or compromise their participation in the study
  • Subjects who have participated in another research study in the past 30 days
  • Subjects who are currently involved in any injury litigation claims
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(6)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Childbearing potential

Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).

Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

Postmenopausal

Periods have stopped for good: usually no period for 12 months in a row without another medical reason, sometimes confirmed by a blood test (FSH).

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.

Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Investigator)
Enrollment
40 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Poly-L-lactic acid

    Subjects in the treatment arm will receive three injections of 5 cc of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) into both sides of the face.

    Device: Poly-L-lactic acid

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    Subjects in the placebo arm will receive three injections of 5 cc of saline into both sides of the face. After the completion of the study, subjects in the placebo arm will receive free injections with Sculptra Aesthetic same as the treatment arm.

    Device: Placebo comparator

Interventions

  • DevicePoly-L-lactic acid

    Sculptra injections

    Also known as: Sculptra Aesthetic, P030050/S002

  • DevicePlacebo comparator

    saline injections

    Also known as: Placebo

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Improvement in skin quality

    The primary endpoint is defined as the degree of improvement in skin quality measured by a blinded, trained evaluator using standardized pictures as well as live evaluations rated by a blinded investigator and the subjects

    Time frame: 15 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Improvement of skin physiology

    Non-invasive biophysical measurements will be used to assess sub-clinical changes in skin quality including skin hydration, elasticity, density and dermal thickness and a decrease in transepidermal water loss

    Time frame: 15 months

  2. Investigator and patient satisfaction

    Investigator and patient satisfaction will be assessed with a quartile scale.

    Time frame: 15 months

  3. Safety of repeated injections with Sculptra Aesthetic

    Safety analyses will be done on all treated patients, defined by any subject who received at least one study treatment. Compiled side effects, including all expected or unexpected side effects but not limited to site discomfort, redness, bruising, bleeding, itching, and swelling, small and larger lumps under the skin

    Time frame: 15 months

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • Laser and Skin Surgery Center of Indiana
    Carmel, Indiana 46032, United States
  • Sadick Research Group
    New York, New York 10075, United States
08

References and documents

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 20, 2015, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02003833
Lead sponsor
Sadick Research Group
Responsible party
Neil Sadick (Medical Director, Sadick Research Group) — Principal investigator
First posted
Dec 6, 2013
Start date
Sep 2013
Primary completion
Mar 2015
Completion
Sep 2015
Last update
Nov 20, 2015

Study contacts

Neil S Sadick, MD
principal investigator · Sadick Research Group
William Hanke, MD
principal investigator · Laser and Skin Surgery Center of Indiana

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Nov 2015. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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