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CompletedNCT03228641Updated Mar 25, 2026

Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy of Micro-coring Device for Treatment of Facial Wrinkles and Skin Laxity

An interventional study of micro-excisional skin removal with coring needle in Wrinkle and Facial and Neck Skin Laxity, sponsored by Cytrellis Biosystems, Inc.. Completed at 6 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 40 Years to 75 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-25.

Sponsored by Cytrellis Biosystems, Inc. · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
45
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
40 Years to 75 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

A pilot study is designed to evaluate safety and efficacy of the Micro-Coring (MC) technology for treatment of facial wrinkles. MC device employs hollow coring needles that enable safe, rapid, and effective full-thickness small skin cores (200-500 microns in diameter) removal initiating a skin repair process through formation of new collagen and elastin fibers (skin rejuvenation).

Read the detailed description

This is a prospective, multi-center, randomized, single blind, bilateral paired study evaluating the safety, tolerability and preliminary effectiveness of a micro-coring device for removal of excess skin using 2 needle gauges (22G, 24G,) at densities (percent of skin removed per 1cm2) of 2.5-10% in subjects with mid- and lower- face skin laxity manifested by moderate-to-severe mid and lower cheek wrinkles, deepening of the nasolabial folds at rest; prominence of marionette lines at rest; downturn of the oral commissures at rest, sagging of the skin at the jawline at rest. Subjects are blinded to needle gauge and density.

There will be two cohorts of subjects: one group of subjects will receive a single treatment and the second - multiple treatments. All subjects will be followed for 180 days with several intermediate visits at 3, 7, 30, 60, and 90-days.

02

Conditions studied

  • Wrinkle
  • Facial and Neck Skin Laxity

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Keywords

  • skin rejuvenation
  • wrinkle removal
  • skin laxity reduction
03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
40 Years to 75 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Fitzpatrick Skin Type 1, 2, or 3 as assessed by Investigator
  • One or more of the following conditions assessed by Investigator using provided Severity Scales:

    • Nasolabial fold severity at rest ≥2 and ≤4;
    • Marionette line prominence at rest ≥2 and ≤4;
    • Oral commissure drooping at rest ≥2 and ≤4;
    • Jawline sagging at rest ≥2 and ≤4 .
    • Moderate-to-Severe wrinkles at rest at least in one of the following areas - the upper lip, chin and cheeks.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Lesions suspicious for any malignancy or the presence of actinic keratosis, melasma, vitiligo, cutaneous papules/nodules or active inflammatory lesions in the areas to be treated
  • History of keloid formation or hypertrophic scarring
  • History of trauma or surgery to the treatment areas in the past 6 months
  • Scar present in the areas to be treated
  • Silicone or synthetic material injections in the areas to be treated
  • Injection of FDA-approved dermal fillers in the past two years
  • Injection of fat in the past year
  • History of treatment with dermabrasion, ablative laser, or radiofrequency in the past year
  • History of treatment with non-ablative laser in the past 6 months
  • History of treatment with botulinum toxin injections in the areas to be treated within the prior 6 months
  • Active smokers (0.5 pack/day) or having quit within 3 months prior to treatment
  • Active, chronic, or recurrent infection
  • History of compromised immune system or currently being treated with immunosuppressive agents
  • History of sensitivity to analgesic agents, Aquaphor®, topical or local anesthetics (e.g., lidocaine, benzocaine, procaine) or chlorhexidine, povidone-iodine or epinephrine
  • Excessive sun exposure and use of tanning beds or tanning creams within 30 days prior to treatment
  • Treatment with aspirin or other blood thinning agents within 14 days prior to treatment
  • History or presence of any clinically significant bleeding disorder
  • Co-morbid condition that in the Investigator's opinion could limit ability to participate in the study or to comply with follow-up requirements
  • History of drug and/or alcohol abuse
  • Any issue that, at the discretion of the Investigator, would interfere with assessment of safety or efficacy or compromise the subject's ability to undergo study procedures or give informed consent
  • Treatment with an investigational device or agent within 30 days before treatment or during the study period
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
45 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    micro-excisional skin removal

    Facial and neck wrinkles will be treated with micro-excisional skin removal

    Device: micro-excisional skin removal with coring needle

Interventions

  • Devicemicro-excisional skin removal with coring needle

    Also known as: micro-coring, micro-excisional skin removal

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. improvement in wrinkle appearance

    One grade or better improvement in score on Wrinkle Severity Scale

    Time frame: 60 and 90 days

Secondary outcomes

  1. improvement in skin laxity

    One grade or better improvement in score on Laxity Scale

    Time frame: up to 180 days

06

Study locations

6 sites
  • Laser & Skin Center of Northern CA
    Sacramento, California 95816, United States
  • Miami Dermatology and Laser Institute
    Miami, Florida 33173, United States
  • SkinCare Physicians
    Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
  • Laser & Skin Surgery Center of NY
    New York, New York 10016, United States
  • Nashville Center for Laser & Facial Surgery
    Nashville, Tennessee 37203, United States
  • Dr A Jay Burns Cosmetic Surgery
    Dallas, Texas 75231, United States
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Fernandes JR, Samayoa JC, Broelsch GF, McCormack MC, Nicholls AM, Randolph MA, Mihm MC, Austen WG Jr. Micro-mechanical fractional skin rejuvenation. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2013 Feb;131(2):216-223. doi: 10.1097/PRS.0b013e3182789afa. PubMed 23357983 ↗
  • Russe E, Purschke M, Farinelli WA, Wang Y, Doukas AG, Limpiangkanan W, Sakamoto FH, Tam J, Wechselberger G, Anderson RR. Micro-fractional, directional skin tightening: A porcine model. Lasers Surg Med. 2016 Mar;48(3):264-9. doi: 10.1002/lsm.22444. Epub 2015 Dec 2. PubMed 26627306 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No — Clinical data analysis will be summarized in the Clinical Study Report and later submitted for publication in the peer-reviewed journal

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03228641
Lead sponsor
Cytrellis Biosystems, Inc.
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jul 25, 2017
Start date
Jun 1, 2016
Primary completion
Aug 31, 2017
Completion
Aug 31, 2017
Last update
Mar 25, 2026

Study contacts

Michail M Pankratov, MD, PhD
study director · Senior Vice President of Clinical & Regulatory Affairs
Patricia E Krantz
study director · Director of Clinical Operations

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Jun 2018. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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