Skip to content

EpiCeram for Skin Protection in Healthcare Workers

EpiCeram for Skin Protection in Healthcare Workers Using Personal Protective Equipment

Status
Terminated
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04793711
Enrollment
1
Registered
2021-03-11
Start date
2021-03-15
Completion date
2021-07-01
Last updated
2024-08-28

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Irritant Contact Dermatitis

Keywords

dermatitis, PPE, healthcare workers

Brief summary

This is an open-label study using a device currently prescribed by doctors. This means everyone involved in the study will know the name of the product, only one product will be used, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the sale of this product. Although this is called a device, the product is an emollient-type lotion. Healthcare workers (HCW) often suffer from signs and symptoms of skin irritation, including pain, redness, roughness, dryness, cracking and itching due to the extensive use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and gloves. These are thought to be due to changes in the normal skin barrier function induced by repeated minor abrasion in the warm, moist environment induced by extensive use of PPE required at work. EpiCeram Controlled Skin Barrier Emulsion (EpiCeram) is a prescription skin barrier repair product containing ingredients designed to improve skin barrier function. However, EpiCeram has not previously been studied in people with skin irritation due to extensive use of PPE. This study was terminated after 1 (one) subject was enrolled due to the inability to find willing participants.

Detailed description

At the screening visit, the study will be explained, and the participant will have the opportunity to ask questions. If the participant decides to enroll, they will have to read, sign and date this Informed Consent Document. The study staff will take the participants pertinent medical history to evaluate eligibility. The participant will be asked about the kind of skin products they are using as well as about use of PPE. Visit 2 activities may be performed at the Screening visit. Participants will return to the study site one (1) week later and 28-days later to have Photographs, Skin Function Testing, and Laboratory Testing performed. The participant will be asked to avoid applying any skin products (except make-up) to the skin for the following week and for the duration of the study.

Interventions

DEVICEEpiCeram

protective emollient

Sponsors

Primus Pharmaceuticals
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 75 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. HCW using PPE at least 6 hours/day, 4 days/week or, depending on shift work, 24 hours/week, for at least one (1) month 2. Men or women, any age 3. Overall skin irritation score of at least 4 on 0-10 scale where 0 = none and 10 = worst 4. Willing to stop use of any other emollient and lotion for one (1) week between screening and baseline visit and for the duration of the study. 5. Participant is willing to stop use of or not begin use of any topical corticosteroids, emollients and lotions to the hands and face for the duration of the trial.

Exclusion criteria

1. History of any skin disorder existing prior to March 1, 2020 characterized by chronic visible lesions or skin irritation symptoms including, but not limited to atopic dermatitis, eczema, moderate-severe acne, chronic dry skin and psoriasis. 2. Use of topical corticosteroids within one (1) month of baseline visit. 3. History of any significant medical condition that, in the opinion of the investigator, might put the subject at risk in this trial. 4. Participation in another clinical trial within 30 days or 5 half-lives of the study agent, whichever is longer.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Patient Reported Outcome of ItchingBaseline to Day 28A subjective assessment by the subject of itching of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst
Change in Patient Reported Outcome of DrynessBaseline to Day 28A subjective assessment by the subject of dryness of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst
Change in Patient Reported Outcome of CrackingBaseline to Day 28A subjective assessment by the subject of cracking of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst
Change in Patient Reported Outcome of RoughnessBaseline to Day 28A subjective assessment by the subject of roughness of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst
Change in Patient Reported Outcome of Overall Skin Irritation SymptomsBaseline to Day 28A subjective assessment by the subject of combined, overall irritation of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst
Change in Patient Reported Outcome of PainBaseline to Day 28A subjective assessment by the subject of pain of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst
Change in Patient Reported Outcome of RednessBaseline to Day 28A subjective assessment by the subject of redness of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in Transepidermal Water Loss on SkinBaseline to Day 28A light source wand was used to measure the outcome on skin of the dominant hand. Values were measured from 0 to 80 grams of water per square meter per hour; where 0 is equal to a very low level of water loss and 80 is the highest amount of water loss measured. An decrease in value indicates improvement.
Change in Stratum Corneum Hydration on SkinBaseline to Day 28A light source wand was used to measure the outcome on skin of the dominant hand. Values were measured from 0 to 80; where 0 is equal to a very low level of hydration and 80 is the highest amount of hydration measured. An increase in value indicates improvement.
Change in Surface Skin pHBaseline to Day 28A portable pH meter together with a combination pH electrode was used to measure pH on skin. An increase in value indicates a better result.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Active Arm EpiCeram
Open-Label to all subjects, no randomization.
1
Total1

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicActive Arm EpiCeram
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
1 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
0 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
1 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
Overall Irritation Score7 units on a scale
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
1 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
1 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
0 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 1
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 1
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 1

Outcome results

Primary

Change in Patient Reported Outcome of Cracking

A subjective assessment by the subject of cracking of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst

Time frame: Baseline to Day 28

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Active Arm EpiceramChange in Patient Reported Outcome of Cracking-1 score on a scale
Primary

Change in Patient Reported Outcome of Dryness

A subjective assessment by the subject of dryness of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst

Time frame: Baseline to Day 28

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Active Arm EpiceramChange in Patient Reported Outcome of Dryness-1 score on a scale
Primary

Change in Patient Reported Outcome of Itching

A subjective assessment by the subject of itching of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst

Time frame: Baseline to Day 28

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Active Arm EpiceramChange in Patient Reported Outcome of Itching-1 score on a scale
Primary

Change in Patient Reported Outcome of Overall Skin Irritation Symptoms

A subjective assessment by the subject of combined, overall irritation of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst

Time frame: Baseline to Day 28

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Active Arm EpiceramChange in Patient Reported Outcome of Overall Skin Irritation Symptoms1 score on a scale
Primary

Change in Patient Reported Outcome of Pain

A subjective assessment by the subject of pain of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst

Time frame: Baseline to Day 28

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Active Arm EpiceramChange in Patient Reported Outcome of Pain-2 score on a scale
Primary

Change in Patient Reported Outcome of Redness

A subjective assessment by the subject of redness of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst

Time frame: Baseline to Day 28

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Active Arm EpiceramChange in Patient Reported Outcome of Redness0 score on a scale
Primary

Change in Patient Reported Outcome of Roughness

A subjective assessment by the subject of roughness of face and hands using an ordinal scale of 0-10 where 0 = none and 10 = worst

Time frame: Baseline to Day 28

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Active Arm EpiceramChange in Patient Reported Outcome of Roughness-1 score on a scale
Secondary

Change in Stratum Corneum Hydration on Skin

A light source wand was used to measure the outcome on skin of the dominant hand. Values were measured from 0 to 80; where 0 is equal to a very low level of hydration and 80 is the highest amount of hydration measured. An increase in value indicates improvement.

Time frame: Baseline to Day 28

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Active Arm EpiceramChange in Stratum Corneum Hydration on Skin0 arbitrary units
Secondary

Change in Surface Skin pH

A portable pH meter together with a combination pH electrode was used to measure pH on skin. An increase in value indicates a better result.

Time frame: Baseline to Day 28

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Active Arm EpiceramChange in Surface Skin pH0.04 unitless
Secondary

Change in Transepidermal Water Loss on Skin

A light source wand was used to measure the outcome on skin of the dominant hand. Values were measured from 0 to 80 grams of water per square meter per hour; where 0 is equal to a very low level of water loss and 80 is the highest amount of water loss measured. An decrease in value indicates improvement.

Time frame: Baseline to Day 28

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)
Active Arm EpiceramChange in Transepidermal Water Loss on Skin14 grams of water per square meter per hour

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026