Treatment of Dry Skin with a Formulation Containing 1-Ethyl-<i>β</i>-<i>N</i>-Acetylglucosaminide, an Epidermal Hyaluronan Inducer: A Pilot Single-Arm Clinical Study

Dry skin is a common skin condition in winter that most often develops on the lower legs in older adults. This study aimed to explore the potential of a formulation containing 1-ethyl-β-N-acetylglucosaminide (β-NAG2), a newly developed epidermal hyaluronan (HA) inducer, to improve dry skin conditions. Twenty-four healthy older adult Japanese subjects participated in a single-arm pilot clinical study conducted from January to March in 2021 in Japan. The subjects topically applied a formulation containing 3.5% β-NAG2 to the outer calf of the leg for 6 weeks, and skin characteristics were observed at weeks 0 (baseline), 4, and 6, and after a 1-week regression phase (week 7). We found that the β-NAG2-formulated lotion significantly improved the visual dryness score and increased hydration in the stratum corneum (SC). These changes may not be solely due to the SC moisturization by the formulation, but could also be due to increased hydration in the deep skin tissue below the SC. This formulation also significantly improved the visual scaliness and SEsc values. Normalized desquamation and increased epidermal turnover caused by the formulation may improve skin scaliness. Moreover, the formulation was found to enhance skin elasticity, which was linked to an increase in the tissue water content. Taken together, these results suggest that the β-NAG2-formulated lotion was effective in improving dry skin in older adults. We propose that targeting epidermal HA can be a promising strategy to prevent or remedy dry skin in this population.