New cream offers safe alternative to support acne

New cream offers safe alternative to support acne

21 July 2014, 5:32PM
Quantec Personal Care Ltd


As the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns consumers around common acne products containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide, a new and clinically proven product developed in New Zealand is offering a safe and effective alternative to improve acne and problem skin.

After seven years of rigorous research and testing, Hamilton-based company, Quantec Personal Care Ltd, launched Epiology in June 2014 to consumers and health professionals.

It’s active, patented ingredient is derived from New Zealand cow’s milk, which Grant Washington-Smith, manager of Quantec Personal Care and Epiology, said is a breakthrough in skincare and represents a completely new approach to improving acne and problem.

“We’ve used a 100% natural complex of bioactive enzymes and proteins from milk, which reduces redness, provides a clearer and brighter complexion, and is particularly suitable for those with sensitive skin,” said Washington-Smith. 

“While it still has unique properties that make it very powerful against certain types of disease-causing bacteria, it is less likely to cause the adverse effects that products containing salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide might cause,” he said.

The FAD publicly announced that “certain over-the-counter topical acne products can cause rare but serious and potentially life-threatening allergic reactions or severe irritation.”   These are described as hypersensitivity reactions such as throat tightness; difficulty breathing; feeling faint; or swelling of the eyes, face, lips, or tongue, as well as the development of hives and/or itching.

Mona Khurana, M.D., a medical officer at FDA, said the allergic reactions differ from the less harmful irritations already included in the product Drug Facts labels, which include burning, dryness, itching, peeling, redness, and slight swelling where the product is applied.

“There is currently no mention of the possibility of these very severe allergic reactions on the product labels,” said Dr Khurana. “It’s important that consumers know about them, and that they know what to do if they occur.”

During 2012 Quantec completed randomised, double-blinded trials on 84 subjects with mild to moderate acne in the United States.  The performance of the milk-ingredient based Epiology cream was compared against two other formulations with FDA-approved acne active ingredients: a leading US retail brand of acne product containing 2% salicylic acid plus retinol and another salicylic acid-based formulation. 

“After six weeks, both the leading US brand and Epiology demonstrated exactly the same results in reducing acne lesions,” said Washington-Smith.

“However, the Epiology cream showed greater results in the overall reduction of acne related redness and inflammation.  Subjects had a clearer and brighter complexion without irritation or redness, and being a natural product, it also proved to be a great option for those with sensitive skin.”

The Epiology range of products can be purchased online at www.epiology.co.nz and in pharmacies throughout New Zealand. 

Consumers can find out if an acne product contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid by looking at the active Ingredient(s) section of the label on the product package.

About Quantec Ltd and Quantec Personal Care Ltd
Based at the Waikato Innovation Park in Hamilton, New Zealand, Quantec Personal Care Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Quantec Ltd and was established in 2013, to commercialise innovative new consumer products that use IDP® as their active ingredient. Epiology Skincare is the first product range to be launched.

Quantec Ltd is a company specialising in the discovery and commercialisation of high-value bioactives from natural products.  Quantec discovered and patented its novel milk fraction, comprised of native immune defense proteins (IDP®) that has proven antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.  The research and development team at Quantec Ltd is continually investigating new uses for IDP® in both human and animal applications.

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