Safe and Effective Restoration of Jawline Definition With Hyaluronic Acid Injectable Gel VYC-25L: Results From a Randomized Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: A well-defined jawline improves overall facial aesthetics, thus motivating patients to seek jawline augmentation. OBJECTIVES: This study will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the hyaluronic acid injectable gel VYC-25L for restoring jawline definition. METHODS: A US multicenter, evaluator-blinded study randomized adults with grade 2 (moderate) or 3 (severe) Allergan Loss of Jawline Definition Scale (ALJDS) scores. Participants were randomized to VYC-25L treatment group or control group at study onset, with 12 months follow-up. The control group had the option to receive treatment after 6 months (primary endpoint completion). Effectiveness measures included month 6 ALJDS responders rate (proportion of participants with ≥1-grade improvement from baseline on both sides), FACE-Q Satisfaction With Lower Face and Jawline scores, and Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) responders (improved/much improved) as assessed by the investigator and participants. Injection site responses (ISRs) and adverse events (AEs) were monitored. RESULTS: At month 6, ALJDS responder rates were 69.0% versus 38.0% in the VYC-25L treatment (n = 157) and control (n = 49) groups, respectively (p = .0001). In the VYC-25L treatment group, FACE-Q scores improved by a mean of 45.9 points versus baseline at month 6 (p < .0001). Furthermore, 88.4% and 89.0% of participants in the VYC-25L treatment group were GAIS responders on month 6 by participant- and investigator-assessment, respectively. Most ISRs were mild or moderate and resolved within 2 weeks. Most treatment-related AEs were mild and resolved within a week. CONCLUSIONS: VYC-25L safely and effectively restores jawline definition through 1 year.

Effectiveness of Volbella (VYC-15L) for Infraorbital Hollowing: Patient-Reported Outcomes From a Prospective, Multicenter, Single-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: Infraorbital hollowing can be addressed with hyaluronic acid soft tissue fillers. A prospective, multicenter, evaluator-blinded, randomized, controlled study (NCT03418545) demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of Juvéderm Volbella XC (VYC-15L, Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, Irvine, CA) in adults seeking correction for infraorbital hollows. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the current analysis was to examine patient-reported outcomes from the clinical study. METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned 3:1 to the VYC-15L treatment group or the no-treatment control group. Outcome measurements included: evaluating investigator (EI)- and participant-assessed Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) scores, as well as participant responses to the FACE-Q Appraisal of Lower Eyelids, questions on treatment satisfaction, the extent to which patients were bothered by dark circles under their eyes, and willingness to recommend treatment to a friend. RESULTS: The modified intent-to-treat population included 135 participants (median age, 47 years; 91.9% female). At Month 3, the majority of VYC-15L-treated participants showed improvements in the EI- and participant-assessed GAIS. The mean change from baseline to Month 3 score (32.7% increase) showed statistically significant improvement (mean [standard deviation], 17.8 [19.8], P < .0001). At Months 3 and 12 posttreatment, most VYC-15L-treated participants reported feeling satisfied with treatment and not feeling moderately or very bothered by dark circles under their eyes, and would recommend treatment to a friend. CONCLUSIONS: The current analysis demonstrated the effectiveness of VYC-15L treatment to reduce infraorbital hollowing and to improve overall satisfaction based on validated patient-reported outcomes. Participant-assessed improvements aligned with EI-assessed outcomes and lasted for 1 year.

Safety and Effectiveness of Hyaluronic Acid Filler, VYC-20L, via Cannula for Cheek Augmentation: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: Using cannulas to deliver facial fillers may reduce adverse events (AEs) compared with needle injection. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of VYC-20L (20 mg/mL hyaluronic acid gel with lidocaine) via cannula for midface age-related volume deficit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This multicenter, evaluator-blind, randomized, within-subject, controlled study enrolled adults with moderate to severe Mid-Face Volume Deficit Scale (MFVDS) scores. VYC-20L was administered in one cheek via cannula (with optional needle use in the zygomaticomalar region) and in the other cheek via needle. The primary effectiveness end point was the mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) paired difference between treatments in MFVDS score change from baseline to Month 1; an upper CI limit of less than 0.5 determined noninferiority. Injection-site responses (ISRs), procedural pain, and AEs were assessed. RESULTS: Of 60 randomized and treated subjects, the mean change in MFVDS score from baseline to Month 1 was -1.8 with cannulas and -1.9 with needles, providing a mean (95% CI) paired difference of 0.1 (-0.05 to 0.25). Most ISRs were mild/moderate and resolved within 2 weeks. Procedural pain was minimal, and no serious AEs were reported. CONCLUSION: VYC-20L for cheek augmentation was safe and effective using a cannula and noninferior to needle injection.

A Prospective, Multicenter, Single-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Study of VYC-15L, a Hyaluronic Acid Filler, in Adults for Correction of Infraorbital Hollowing.

BACKGROUND: Rejuvenation of the under-eye area is a popular facial aesthetic treatment option. OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of VYC-15L for the correction of moderate or severe infraorbital hollowing. METHODS: This was a randomized, controlled, single-blind study with a primary endpoint defined as the proportion of participants with ≥1-grade improvement at Month 3 assessed by an evaluating investigator employing the Allergan Infraorbital Hollow Scale. Three-dimensional imaging was conducted to assess infraorbital volume up to Month 12. Procedure pain and injection-site responses (ISRs) were documented, and safety was monitored throughout the study. RESULTS: At Month 3, the difference between treatment (83.1%) and control (15.6%) was 67.5% (95% CI = 52.9 to 82.0, P < 0.0001). 3D imaging showed a mean volume increase from baseline of 0.733 mL (left) and 0.777 mL (right) at Month 12. Mean pain scores were ≤1.7 (scale of 0 to 10). Most ISRs with initial treatment were mild/moderate and resolved in ≤1 week, including tenderness (49.5%), bruising (42.7%), and swelling (41.7%). Thirty-four participants had treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs), of which 14 (10.3%) had treatment-related TEAEs, including bruising (3.8%) and swelling/edema (2.9%), which resolved in ≤2 weeks. Three participants had swelling/edema starting >30 days posttreatment; 2 resolved in ≤4 days, 1 by 45 days. No treatment-related serious AEs were reported. CONCLUSIONS: VYC-15L was safe and effective for the correction of moderate or severe infraorbital hollowing and lasted through 1 year.

Half-antibody functionalized lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery to carcinoembryonic antigen presenting pancreatic cancer cells.

Current chemotherapy regimens against pancreatic cancer are met with little success as poor tumor vascularization significantly limits the delivery of oncological drugs. High-dose targeted drug delivery, through which a drug delivery vehicle releases a large payload upon tumor localization, is thus a promising alternative strategy against this lethal disease. Herein, we synthesize anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) half-antibody conjugated lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles and characterize their ligand conjugation yields, physicochemical properties, and targeting ability against pancreatic cancer cells. Under the same drug loading, the half-antibody targeted nanoparticles show enhanced cancer killing effect compared to the corresponding nontargeted nanoparticles.

Magnetic field activated lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles for stimuli-responsive drug release.

Stimuli-responsive nanoparticles (SRNPs) offer the potential of enhancing the therapeutic efficacy and minimizing the side-effects of chemotherapeutics by controllably releasing the encapsulated drug at the target site. Currently controlled drug release through external activation remains a major challenge during the delivery of therapeutic agents. Here we report a lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticle system containing magnetic beads for stimuli-responsive drug release using a remote radio frequency (RF) magnetic field. These hybrid nanoparticles show long-term stability in terms of particle size and polydispersity index in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Controllable loading of camptothecin (CPT) and Fe(3)O(4) in the hybrid nanoparticles was demonstrated. RF-controlled drug release from these nanoparticles was observed. In addition, cellular uptake of the SRNPs into MT2 mouse breast cancer cells was examined. Using CPT as a model anticancer drug the nanoparticles showed a significant reduction in MT2 mouse breast cancer cell growth in vitro in the presence of a remote RF field. The ease of preparation, stability, and controllable drug release are the strengths of the platform and provide the opportunity to improve cancer chemotherapy.

DeNAno: Selectable deoxyribonucleic acid nanoparticle libraries.

DNA nanoparticles of approximately 250 nm were produced by rolling circle replication of circular oligonucleotide templates which results in highly condensed DNA particulates presenting concatemeric sequence repeats. Using templates containing randomized sequences, high diversity libraries of particles were produced. A biopanning method that iteratively screens for binding and uses PCR to recover selected particles was developed. The initial application of this technique was the selection of particles that bound to human dendritic cells (DCs). Following nine rounds of selection the population of particles was enriched for particles that bound DCs, and individual binding clones were isolated and confirmed by flow cytometry and microscopy. This process, which we have termed DeNAno, represents a novel library technology akin to aptamer and phage display, but unique in that the selected moiety is a multivalent nanoparticle whose activity is intrinsic to its sequence. Cell targeted DNA nanoparticles may have applications in cell imaging, cell sorting, and cancer therapy.

Stimuli-responsive liposome fusion mediated by gold nanoparticles.

We report a new approach to controlling the fusion activity of liposomes by adsorbing carboxyl-modified gold nanoparticles to the outer surface of phospholipid liposomes. The bound gold nanoparticles can effectively prevent liposomes from fusing with one another at neutral pH value, while at acidic environments (e.g., pH < 5), the gold particle stabilizers will detach from the liposomes, with liposome fusion activity resuming. The binding of carboxyl-modified gold nanoparticles to cationic phospholipid liposomes at neutral pH and detaching at acidic pH values are evaluated and confirmed by dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy, fluorescence and UV-vis absorption experiments. The relative fusion efficiency of gold-nanoparticle-stabilized cationic liposomes with anionic liposomes is approximately 25% at pH = 7 in contrast to approximately 80% at pH = 4. Since liposomes have been extensively used as drug nanocarriers and the infectious lesions on human skin are typically acidic with a pH < 5, these acid-responsive liposomes with tunable fusion ability hold great promise for dermal drug delivery to treat a variety of skin diseases such as acne vulgaris and staph infections.

Biosensing using porous silicon double-layer interferometers: reflective interferometric Fourier transform spectroscopy.

A simple, chip-based implementation of a double-beam interferometer that can separate biomolecules based on size and that can compensate for changes in matrix composition is introduced. The interferometric biosensor uses a double-layer of porous Si comprised of a top layer with large pores and a bottom layer with smaller pores. The structure is shown to provide an on-chip reference channel analogous to a double-beam spectrometer, but where the reference and sample compartments are stacked one on top of the other. The reflectivity spectrum of this structure displays a complicated interference pattern whose individual components can be resolved by fitting of the reflectivity data to a simple interference model or by fast Fourier transform (FFT). Shifts of the FFT peaks indicate biomolecule penetration into the different layers. The small molecule, sucrose, penetrates into both porous Si layers, whereas the large protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), only enters the large pores. BSA can be detected even in a large (100-fold by mass) excess of sucrose from the FFT spectrum. Detection can be accomplished either by computing the weighted difference in the frequencies of two peaks or by computing the ratio of the intensities of two peaks in the FFT spectrum.