Looking Fit 12/2003: A NEW UV ALTERNATIVE?

A NEW UV ALTERNATIVE?
WHY THIS NEW DRUG WONT REPLACE TANNING SALONS

by Rick Mattoon

Within the last year the indoor tanning industry has come to realize that sunless tanning adds an alternative to the tanning choice. Statistics show that 60 percent of those who choose sunless are not traditional indoor tanners. This statistic confirms that sunless will not take the place of UV tanning, but has the potential to help increase the number of tanners across the United States.

Now we may soon see a different competitor on the horizon, one that may attempt to take the place of tanning altogether. Staff at the National Tanning Training Institute have examined this so-called tanning alternative and believe strongly that it cant compete with what a professional indoor tanning salon has to offer.

EpiTan, an emerging Australian biotechnology company, quickly is moving toward the final stages of the launch of a new tanning drug that, if approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will be administered primarily by dermatologists. Based in Melbourne, EpiTan holds unique technology focusing on its leading drug candidate, Melanotan. The company has exclusive worldwide rights to develop this new drug that stimulates the production of melanin in the skin resulting in a tan. Simply put, it allows a tan to develop without exposure to UV light.

Recent press releases by EpiTan make it clear that it intends to focus on the worldwide medical purposes of its pending drug, and is banking on the even greater market of its cosmetic use in the more than $5 billion American tanning market. EpiTan reports that its market potential is substantial and broad, and that its tanning product has the credentials of being a blockbuster.

In February 2003, EpiTan announced that it had successfully developed a sustained-release implant formulation expected to be used in human volunteers by the end of 2003. The ability to take an implant model from laboratory to actual human testing in less than two years shows the enormous speed at which this new tanning drugs development is moving.

According to EpiTans Web site, the company received several batches of Melanotan from a supplier located in the United States for use in research studies and clinical trials throughout Australia. In June 2003, EpiTan announced its signing of a collaborative agreement with Monash University in Melbourne and the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science in Adelaide to aid in the fasttrack development of a topical formulation of this new drug.

Also, EpiTan is investigating Melanotan for its therapeutic use in treating skin disorders and diseases such as polymorphous light eruption, vitiligo, solar urticaria, albinism and psoriasis.

In an October 2003 company announcement, EpiTan confirmed that it has met with the FDA in regard to submitting a formal investigational new drug (IND) application. The FDA requires that an IND application be submitted before a drug can be studied in humans and is a prerequisite to starting clinical trials in the United States.

According to the FDA, the clinical investigation of a previously untested drug generally is divided into three phases. Although in general the phases are conducted in order, they may overlap thus helping expedite the approval process.

What You Cant Get From An Injection

In order for salons across the United States to position for a possible tanning competitor, they must remember that indoor tanning offers more than just a great tanit also offers the only stress-reduction program in many clients lives. In moderate doses, stress provokes us to do our best at daily activities. Unfortunately, too much stress can have a negative effect on a persons work, mood and even physical well-being. A typical tanning session can offer many of the components of an expensive stress-reduction program but at a fraction of the cost.

Finding the time and place for relaxation always has been a challenge for people trying to cope effectively with stress. An indoor tanning session lasts anywhere from about 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the unit and tanning scheduleallowing for just enough time to escape the demands of everyday life while enjoying the relaxation of the tanning session.

And what about the healthful benefits? For millions of years, life on earth successfully evolved under the constant influence of sunlight and ultraviolet rays. People always have felt a natural connection with the full spectrum of light. Within this light, researchers have identified a class of light necessary for our wellbeing: ultraviolet light.

With todays challenging schedules and relentless drive for production, many dont find the luxury and necessity of UV exposure fitting into their schedules. However, with thousands of indoor tanning salons across the country, millions of Americans are finding the accessibility of indoor tanning to be beyond convenient.

Todays indoor tanning industry is able to offer consumers what they wont be able to find in a dermatologists officeclean, affordable services staffed with well-trained, courteous professionals ready to make their tanning experience pleasurable, convenient and beneficial.