If you’ve ever struggled with acne—past or present—you’re familiar with how the breakout routine goes. You spot the pesky blemish (or blemishes) and run to your cabinet for all your acne-blasting products, from clearing washes to pimple patches, only to often have the mark remain or pop back up days later. While a good, dermatologist-derived skin-care routine can help make managing acne flare-ups easier, have you ever considered that there might be an option to stop acne before it ever starts? Thanks to a new experimental study, that could soon be a reality.
Pharmaceutical Company Sanofi Begins Testing for Experimental Acne Vaccine
Acne is a chronic skin condition that affects an average of 95 percent of individuals between 11 and 30, according to the NHS. But until now, a preventative vaccine for the prevalent skin condition has never been an option. While still in very early stages, pharmaceutical company Sanofi has begun the initial trials for what could be a life-changing development in the world of acne: a vaccine.
Sanofi’s acne vaccine trial began in 2024 and is set to conclude in 2027. During the course of the trial, the company plans to recruit around 400 adults ranging from age 18 to 45 classified as having moderate to severe facial acne based on a determinate number of pimples on their face. While there have been no details disclosed yet as to how the vaccine will work, a Sanofi representative told Live Science that “The new vaccine could ‘help reshape the acne treatment landscape.'”