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Hyperpigmentation Product Brief

Team

B3 Owner - Akhila
OLX Lead - To Be Filled by Martha
Team - To Be Filled by Martha

Goal

Development of several Hyperpigmentation targeted products leveraging OLX proprietary molecule(s) with differentiated efficacy compared to existing non-prescription commercial products. Product should target all forms of hyperpigmentation (PIH, sun spots, melasma, erythema). Products include:
Facial Hyperpigmentation Treatment
Body Pigmentation Treatment

Requirements

Efficacy - Lighten hyperpigmentation including post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, post-inflammatory erythema, age spots / dark spots, and melasma
Prescription level efficacy -
Comparable efficacy to hydroquinone (at effective concentrations of 4%+)
Greater efficacy than B3 commercial product that includes Symwhite (at effective concentration of 0.5%)
High specificity, should not cause visible skin bleaching in areas without dark spots
Non-negative impact on post-inflammatory erythema
Tolerability -
Suitable for 2x daily use
Tolerable for sensitive skin -
Less side effects profile than Hydroquinone
Comparable or less side effects profile of Symwhite
Formulation Constraints - Ability to be formulated with:
Salicylic Acid - Support future hybrid Acne + Hyperpigmentation products
Formulated with SymWhite
Kojic Acid - Recognizability for Hyperpigmentation claims
NOTE: Kojic acid is only included at marketing concentrations, so likely not a significant concern in terms of formulation
3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid - Antioxidant that aids in erythema

Brief Guidelines - Facial Hyperpigmentation Treatment

Benefits
Lighten hyperpigmentation – including dark spots, erythema, and sun damage
Improve skin appearance by reducing uneven skin tone
Gentle enough for daily use, even on sensitive skin, with hydrating / soothing ingredients to mitigate irritation
Form Factor -
Gel cream
Fill Size & Cadence
30ml, 2 month cadence
Experience
Light and absorbs quickly
Leaves skin feeling glowing
Seamlessly layers with other skincare products or under makeup (no piling)
Does not burn the eyes
Scent
TBD - Light fragrant refreshing smell
Claims ​Oil-free (Synthetic oils, plant oils, lanolin, mineral oils), Paraben-free, Cruelty-free, Alcohol-free (Ethyl alcohol), Non-comedogenic, Fragrance-free, Sulfate-free, Silicone-free, Phthalate-free, Synthetic dye-free, Prop-65 compliant, Formaldehydes-free
Ingredients Develop 3 different versions with a combination of melanin-target, antioxidant, exfoliating, multi-purpose, and hydrating ingredients:
Ingredient Specifications
#
Melanin-targeting
Antioxidant
Exfoliating
Multi-purpose
Hydrating
1
Symwhite 377 (0.5%) + Kojic Acid (MC*)
3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid (1%)
None
Niacinamide (4%) - Low-nicotinic acid
Allantoin
Glycerin
Hyaluronic Acid
2
Symwhite 377 (0.5%) + Kojic Acid (MC*)
3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid (1%)
Glycolic acid (0.3-0.5%)
Niacinamide (4%) - Low-nicotinic acid
Allantoin
Glycerin
Hyaluronic Acid
3
18-β Glycyrrhetinic Acid Phytosome (3%) + Kojic Acid (MC*)
3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid (1%)
None
Niacinamide (4%) - Low-nicotinic acid
Allantoin
Glycerin
Hyaluronic Acid
There are no rows in this table
⁠
MC* denotes that ingredient is formulated at marketing concentration

Implementation Plan

Anti-Grey Pigmentation (Melanocyte Killing Molecule)

Goal - Identify highly-specific and broadly safe molecule that can effectively induce melanocyte cell death to reduce hyperpigmentation
Requirements -
Comparable efficacy to Hydroquinone and greater efficacy compared to SymWhite OR significant marginal efficacy when formulated in combination with SymWhite
High capacity to kill melanocytes (ideally via a known mechanism of cell death, e.g., caspase activation)
Highly specific for melanocytes (vs. other skin cells)
Minimally-sensitizing
Broadly non-toxic and non-immunogenicity
Formulation constraints - in addition to overall project formulation constraints, ability to be formulated with:
Symwhite - Highest efficacy on-the-market hyperpigmentation ingredient
Target Mechanism - Direct Melanocyte killing, induce apoptosis in melanocytes
Key Risks / Concerns
Efficacy Measurement -
B16 assay measurement certainty of direct melanocyte killing
Combination treatment improvement certainty over mono-treatment of SymWhite

New Molecule Discovery

Goal - Identify new molecule that can be used to tackle hyperpigmentation 3 main pathways
MC1R/MITF signaling pathway
Tyrosinase enzyme; all commercially available ingredients (Symwhite) all claim to inhibit tyrosinase (one of the targets for PhaseA)
TPC2ion channel

Milestones and Timeline to be filled by Martha


Timeline Key Constraints

OLX Hyperpigmentation
Workstream
Owner
Start date
End date
Stage
Notes
Project
Ingredients Order
Cell Viability (Assay Creation)
Melanin Reduction Tests
Specificity Tests
Safety Tests
Target Identification
Docking Targets
Dec 1
Ingredient Order
Cell Viability (Assay Creation)
Efficacy Tests
Stability & Compatibility Tests
Ingredients Scale / Ramp Up
Formulation Development
R1 Focus Groups
There are no rows in this table
⁠

Supporting Resources

Hyperpigmentation Research + Product Brief -
Link
⁠
Direct Melanocyte Killing Update -
Link
⁠
⁠
High Level Commercial Planning -
Link
⁠
⁠
Hyperpigmentation Gantt -
Link
⁠
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