Can a skin cream replace a diabetes drug for dark patches?
NCT ID NCT07751549
First seen Aug 07, 2026 · Last updated Aug 07, 2026
Summary
This trial tests three ways to treat acanthosis nigricans, a skin condition causing dark, thick patches often linked to insulin resistance and obesity. About 54 people with the condition will receive either oral metformin, a topical metformin cream, or a glycolic acid chemical peel. The study compares how well each treatment reduces the severity of the patches, aiming to see if the cream can match the pill's effectiveness with fewer side effects.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- oral metformin, topical metformin 30%, and glycolic acid 70% chemical peel
- What this could lead to
- If topical metformin works as well as oral metformin, it could offer a safer, more convenient treatment for acanthosis nigricans with fewer side effects.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial, so results may not apply broadly. Chemical peels can cause irritation or pigmentation changes, and metformin may cause gastrointestinal issues.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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54 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jun 2023
- Finished
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May 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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11 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Clinical diagnosis of acanthosis nigricans. Age 11 years or older. Male or female participants. Willingness and ability to comply with the study protocol and provide written informed consent (or assent with parental/guardian consent for minors, as applicable). Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy or lactation. History of keloid formation or post-peel hyperpigmentation. Active skin infection. Malignant acanthosis nigricans. Use of other treatments for acanthosis nigricans within the previous 3 months.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Tanta University Hospitals
Tanta, Egypt
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.