Championing Scientific Rigor and Exosome Stability in Skin Care

Prithwiraj Maitra, PhD, Vice President of Global Skincare Research and Development at Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, brings over 20 years of experience in skin care innovation and currently oversees research and pipeline development for the SkinMedica and DiamondGlow brands. In a recent interview with Dermatology Times, Maitra emphasized the growing importance of scientific validation and ingredient transparency in topical skincare, underscoring the industry’s commitment to evidence-based formulation.

According to Maitra, the skin care landscape is rapidly evolving with new ingredients and formulations emerging constantly, yet this innovation is accompanied by significant “noise.” In an increasingly crowded marketplace, dermatologists and patients alike must discern credible, science-backed products from those supported only by marketing claims.

Maitra notes that Allergan’s philosophy centers on connecting biological processes to meaningful clinical outcomes through rigorous research, ensuring both efficacy and stability of active ingredients in final formulations. He highlighted the growing consumer trend toward at-home, professional-grade skin care that complements in-office aesthetic treatments, supported by data showing synergistic benefits when the two are combined.

Discussing his recent research published in Dermatologic Surgery, “Isolation & Characterization of Stable Exosomes in a Topical Cosmetic Formulation”, Maitra described pioneering work validating the presence and stability of exosomes in SkinMedica’s TNS Recovery Complex.

“All skin care products are required to list the ingredients on their label, but they are not required to test the products to make sure the activity levels are maintained in the final formulations,” he noted.

This product, the first topical cosmetic growth-factor formulation introduced over 2 decades ago, was shown to contain intact, stable exosomes derived from human fibroblasts. The findings reinforce the product’s long-standing reputation for cosmetic efficacy, safety, and tolerability, while also advancing scientific understanding of exosome-based skincare.

Maitra explained that exosomes carry the molecular characteristics of their cells of origin. Fibroblast-derived exosomes, in particular, exhibit properties that support dermal health, collagen synthesis, and rejuvenation. Compared with exosomes from adipocytes or platelets, fibroblast-based exosomes are uniquely suited to promoting skin vitality and repair. The demonstration of their stability and potential activity within a finished topical formulation, he concluded, “raises the bar” for the skin care industry by establishing a new benchmark for ingredient verification and scientific integrity in cosmetic dermatology.