Research Published in Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine Shows Significant Improvements in Repigmentation and Quality of Life for Patients With Localized Vitiligo
PARIS, France, June 25: New clinical research published in the peer-reviewed journal Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine demonstrates that combining oral gliadin-protected superoxide dismutase (GP-SOD), the patented antioxidant technology behind GliSODin®, with targeted phototherapy significantly improves outcomes for patients with localized vitiligo compared to phototherapy alone.
The study, Combination of Oral Gliadin-Protected Superoxide Dismutase With Targeted Phototherapy in Vitiligo: A Prospective, Comparative, Randomized, Single-Blinded Study, was conducted by an international team of researchers led by Pr. Giovanni Leone of the Photodermatology and Vitiligo Treatment Center at Israelite Hospital in Rome, Italy, in collaboration with researchers from Nice University Hospital and Université Côte d’Azur in France, including renowned vitiligo expert Pr. Thierry Passeron.
Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the loss of skin pigment, affecting millions of people worldwide. Increasingly, researchers have identified oxidative stress as an important factor in the disease process, prompting interest in therapies that support the body’s natural antioxidant defenses.
The six-month randomized study evaluated 40 adults with localized non-segmental vitiligo. All participants received targeted excimer lamp phototherapy, while half also received oral GP-SOD. Researchers found that patients receiving the combination treatment experienced significantly greater repigmentation compared to those receiving phototherapy alone. In addition, patients receiving GP-SOD reported significantly greater improvements in quality of life. The treatment was also well tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported.
“These findings reinforce the growing body of evidence supporting the role of oxidative stress in vitiligo and suggest that addressing this pathway may help improve patient outcomes when combined with established treatment approaches, in particular the combination with phototherapy has been shown to be one of the best approaches to stabilize vitiligo and increase the pigmentation response,” said Pr. Giovanni Leone.
These findings add to a growing body of clinical research supporting the role of GP-SOD as an adjunct to phototherapy in vitiligo treatment. Previous research published in the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology demonstrated improved repigmentation outcomes when oral GP-SOD was combined with NB-UVB phototherapy. This latest study is among the first to specifically evaluate its use alongside targeted phototherapy for localized vitiligo. Researchers concluded that combining GP-SOD with UVB phototherapy resulted in significant improvements in repigmentation, quality of life, and overall treatment outcomes while maintaining a favorable safety profile.
“At GliSODin, our mission has always been to support the body’s natural ability to defend itself against oxidative stress,” said François Vix, CEO of GliSODin. “We are encouraged to see continued independent clinical research exploring the role of GP-SOD in conditions where oxidative stress is believed to play a key role.”
The publication arrives just ahead of World Vitiligo Day on June 25, an annual global initiative dedicated to raising awareness, advancing research, and supporting individuals living with vitiligo.