The long-term goal of this project is to develop an anti-inflammatory drug, containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) isolated from cultured marine algae, for topical treatment of psoriasis, eczema, and acne. Commercial application is to supply a pharmaceutical firm with bulk product. The phase II portion is to carry development most of the way toward Investigational New Drug Status. Methodologies are to: (1) select the most favorable algal isolates through edema and intradermal distribution studies, (2) further chemically characterize the product, (3) create a vehicle for topical application, (4) examine anti-inflammatory properties through edema and cell proliferation assays using murine and human skin graft models, and (5) conduct initial toxicity tests with acute oral, acute dermal, and skin sensitizing assays. The potential for technical invention is: (1) use of EPA as a substrate that yields noninflammatory metabolites from the eicosanoid cascade in epidermal cells, (2) topical delivery of EPA with natural lipids, and (3) new technology in aquacultural production and purification of the drug.
