Acne affects roughly 50 million people in the US each year, with breakouts ranging from blackheads and whiteheads to painful cysts. Standard treatments include retinoids, antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide, and isotretinoin for severe cases. Research now focuses on alternatives to antibiotics, new anti-inflammatory approaches, and treatments that address the skin microbiome.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing topical drugs that block specific inflammatory pathways, new retinoid formulations with fewer side effects, and treatments targeting bacteria without antibiotics. Researchers are also studying the skin microbiome to understand why some people develop acne and others don't, and testing probiotics and bacteriophage therapies.
Microbiome-targeted treatments
Studies are testing live bacteria that compete with acne-causing organisms, and bacteriophages that kill harmful bacteria while leaving helpful ones alone. Early data suggest these approaches may work without the resistance problems that antibiotics create.
IL-17 and IL-23 blockers
Drugs already approved for psoriasis are being tested in acne, targeting inflammation without antibiotics. These injections or pills might offer an alternative for people with severe acne who can't tolerate isotretinoin.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on acne severity (mild, moderate, or severe), prior treatments tried, and whether hormonal factors or scarring are present.
What types of trials are currently open
- Topical treatment trials — Testing new creams, gels, or foams that reduce inflammation or kill bacteria, often compared to standard treatments like adapalene or benzoyl peroxide.
- Oral medication trials — Testing pills that target inflammation or hormones involved in acne, aiming to match the effectiveness of isotretinoin with fewer side effects.
- Microbiome trials — Testing probiotics, bacteriophages, or other treatments that change the balance of bacteria on the skin.
- Device trials — Testing lasers, light therapy, or other devices that reduce acne inflammation or bacterial counts.
- Natural history studies — Following people with acne over time to understand what drives severity, scarring, and response to treatment.
Recently added Acne trials
Safety, Tolerability, and Clinical Effectiveness of Adapalene/Clindamycin Phosphate Gel (Klenzit®-C) in Vietnamese Patients With Mild to Moderate Acne Vulgaris
The CLEAN ACNE Study is a prospective, observational, Phase IV, open-label, multicenter, single-arm study at 3-5 sites in Vietnam. It will describe the safety, tolerability, and clinical effectiveness of adapalene 0.1%/clindamycin 1% fixed-dose combination gel (Klenzit®-C) as used in routine clinical practice. Participants are Vietnamese patients aged 12 years and older with mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Patients whose treating physician has already prescribed Klenzit®-C as part of routine care will be invited to take part. The decision to prescribe is made independently of the study. About 360 participants will apply the gel once daily, preferably in the evening, for 12 weeks. Study visits take place at baseline and at Weeks 2, 4, 8, and 12. The main focus is safety and tolerability. This includes adverse events and local skin reactions such as redness, dryness, darkening of the skin, peeling, and itching. The study will also observe changes in inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne lesion counts. It will record the proportion of participants who reach treatment success on the Investigator Global Assessment (IGA) at Weeks 4, 8, and 12. An interim safety review will take place at Week 2, once about half of the participants have enrolled.
Take one of two topical cream combinations for acne
The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the effectiveness of two topical combination treatments for mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris: 1% nadifloxacin with 0.025% tretinoin cream versus 1% clindamycin with 0.025% tretinoin cream. The study will be conducted in the Department of Dermatology, Nishtar Hospital, Multan, and will enroll adults aged 18 to 40 years of either gender who are newly diagnosed with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris. Participants with drug-induced acne, endocrine disorders (such as PCOS), other chronic facial skin conditions, pregnancy or lactation, chronic systemic illness, or known hypersensitivity to the study medications will be excluded. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups, with allocation concealed using sealed opaque envelopes. Group A will apply nadifloxacin plus tretinoin cream, and Group B will apply clindamycin plus tretinoin cream. In both groups, a thin layer of the assigned cream will be applied once daily at bedtime to the whole affected area after washing the face with a mild cleanser. Participants will also be advised to use a non-comedogenic moisturizer and sunscreen and to avoid other acne treatments. Follow-up visits will take place at 4, 8, and 12 weeks, with medication use checked by inspecting returned tubes and side effects (redness, dryness, peeling, burning, itching, allergic reactions) recorded at each visit. At baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment, a consultant dermatologist who is unaware of the treatment assigned will count inflammatory, non-inflammatory, and total lesions and grade acne severity using the Global Acne Grading System. The main outcome is the reduction in the number of inflammatory lesions after 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes are the reduction in non-inflammatory and total lesions, change in acne severity grade, and side effects. The study hypothesizes that the reduction in inflammatory lesions at 12 weeks is greater with nadifloxacin plus tretinoin than with clindamycin plus tretinoin.
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