INTRODUCTION
Acne vulgaris is one of the most prevalent and deleterious skin disease conditions patients can experience in their lifetime, with both psychosocial and physical consequences. The Global Burden of Disease Study indicated that acne is the eighth most prevalent disease globally and the second most common reason for dermatologist referrals.2 The main cause of acne initiation and progression is hyperandrogenism, which can lead to enhanced sebum secretion, inflammatory processes, hyperkeratinization, bacterial colonization, and sebum duct occlusion.3 Numerous existing topical and oral treatments aim to improve acne by addressing one or more of these factors, with varying levels of efficacy and tolerance.
Over the past half century, skin professionals have predominantly relied on the use of the prescription topical drug tretinoin to treat severe acne. While tretinoin has maintained a position of dominance for treating acne patients, its common side effects including irritation, redness, edema, and blistering have led to the desire for alternative treatment modalities. The inherently lengthy and costly regulatory processes required to bring forth alternative prescription acne treatment options, however, continues to limit patient and provider access to innovative products. To circumvent these regulatory pathways, researchers must pursue technical drug models that employ non-prescription technologies. Dating back to the 1960s, over-the-counter (OTC) entities such as benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and sulfur were commonly used for treating acne. But these options are incapable of providing adequate clinical outcomes for severe acne. Today, there is an opportunity to potentiate the efficacy profiles of non-prescription topical treatments by employing innovative technology models that can yield clinically robust results while tempering the side effects of prescription treatments helping to improve patient compliance.
Recent advances in topical and transdermal drug-delivery systems have enabled targeted delivery of therapeutics to the site of action by enhancing drug permeation across the stratum corneum and increasing bioavailability.4 Due to its efficacy
