SYN®-AKE is a new anti-wrinkle active compound based on a synthetic tripeptide that mimics the effect of Waglerin 1, a peptide found in the venom of the temple viper. This compound was developed by Pentapharm, a fifty-year-old, Swiss-based pharmaceutical company that specializes in research and development and the production of active ingredients for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
Pentapharm company has developed a unique approach to the breeding and housing of venomous snakes, particularly the Brazilian lancehead (Bothrops moojeni), whose venom is used in therapeutic products (such as anticoagulants and haemostatics) and in diagnostic products. The company's long experience in snake venom research has made it possible to test the effectiveness of venom in cosmetic applications.
Pentapharm postulates that SYN®-AKE acts similarly to Argireline (Acetyl Hexapeptide-8) by interfering with the transmission of nerve signals that direct the muscles to contract. However, the company's research indicates that SYN®-AKE is significantly more powerful than Argireline.
In a small clinical trial that was sufficient to establish statistical significance, Pentapharm compared the effectiveness of SYN-AKE® versus Argireline. One-third of the subjects used SYN-AKE®, one-third Argireline, and one-third a placebo. Pentapharm presented its results using two measures: skin roughness and wrinkle depth. The first refers to the sum total of all wrinkle depths over a given area as a measure of skin smoothness. The second is a measure of individual wrinkle depth. The average smoothing for each group of fifteen subjects was 21% for SYN®-AKE versus 4% for Argireline. The average reduction in wrinkle depth was 20% for SYN®-AKE versus 2% for Argireline.