Skin doctor joins tanning tech company

A leading dermatologist has joined the board of the Australian company behind a new tanning drug.

EpiTan today announced it had appointed president-elect of the Australian College of Dermatologists, Assoc Prof Alan Cooper, to its board.

Managing director Dr Wayne Millen said Cooper's appointment was effective immediately and he would strengthen the board enormously.

"Having a dermatologist of such standing will greatly assist the company as it progresses through the human trial program," Millen said.

This week, EpiTan announced the successful completion of its Phase I/II clinical trials of Melanotan on 16 healthy volunteers.

The drug, which is administered subcutaneously, works like natural sunlight by stimulating the production of melanin in the skin to produce a normal tan.

The company believes Melanotan could assist in reducing sun exposure damage by increasing a person's tan, hence reducing the incidence of skin cancer.

Cooper, who is head of dermatology at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital, and Australian Dermatology Research and Education Foundation chairman, said he was excited by the recent trial results.

"I was pleased to see the drug complete a Phase I/II trial, and look forward greatly to assisting it through the remaining human trials, towards commercialisation," he said.

"As a dermatologist I am very interested in new skin protection measures.

"As people with pigmented skin suffer less from skin cancer than fair people, it is only reasonable to expect that a tanning drug such as Melanotan will play an important role in reducing the incidence of skin damage."

Cooper joins Malcolm McComas and doctors Hank Agersborg, Terry Winters and Wayne Millen on EpiTan's board.