Azelaic Acid May Soon Be Availabale as a Water Soluable Salt

Azelaic acid is a completely new class of acne and rosacea therapy, chemically different from most of the currently available acne or rosacea medications, including retinoids and alpha-hydroxy acids. Azelaic acid is believed to work uniquely with dual modes of action: antimicrobial activity and normalization of keratinization (the process by which epithelial cells mature as they move toward the skin surface and then slough off) thus addressing two of the major causes of acne.However, azelaic acid, as currently marketed, can cause burning and irritation of the skin. The company's patented chitosan azelate addresses this problem by making the azelaic acid completely water soluble. By increasing the water-solubility of this topically applied drug, increased efficacy is expected. Azelaic acid is FDA approved in the US and is approved abroad for the treatment of acne and rosacea. This molecule can also be developed for the treatment of malasma.