PDRN clinical evidence timeline

15 published studies of PDRN and polynucleotides, in date order, with what each one tested, how many people took part and what it cannot tell you.

Every record was checked against PubMed on 11 November 2026. Findings are the authors' reported results. This page is general information, not medical advice, and does not recommend any treatment or product.

1. 2001

   • Injection

     Clinical evaluation of the trophic effect of polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) in patients undergoing skin explants. A pilot study

     Rubegni P, De Aloe G, Mazzatenta C, et al. Curr Med Res Opin. 2001;17(2):128-31. PMID 11759182.

     Design:

     Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial. 26 adults having skin grafts.

     What it reported:

     Skin-graft donor sites re-covered with new skin faster by day 7 in the PDRN group than in the placebo group. No adverse events were reported.

     Limits:

     A small pilot in surgical wounds, with PDRN given by injection. It says nothing about cosmetic creams or serums.

2. 2004

   • Eye drops

     Clinical evaluation of corneal epithelialization after photorefractive keratectomy in patients treated with PDRN eye drops

     Lazzarotto M, Tomasello EM, Caporossi A Eur J Ophthalmol. 2004;14(4):284-9. PMID 15309972.

     Design:

     Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. 60 eyes after laser eye surgery.

     What it reported:

     By day 3 the surface of the eye had fully re-covered in 77% of PDRN-treated eyes and 61% of placebo-treated eyes. By day 7 all eyes had recovered.

     Limits:

     The authors called it a pilot and asked for a much larger study. It concerns medical eye drops after surgery, not skincare.

3. 2014

   • Injection

     The effect of PDRN, an adenosine receptor A2A agonist, on the healing of chronic diabetic foot ulcers: results of a clinical trial

     Squadrito F, Bitto A, Altavilla D, et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99(5):E746-53. PMID 24483158.

     Design:

     Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial at two Italian centres. 216 people with diabetes and hard-to-heal foot ulcers.

     What it reported:

     After 8 weeks, ulcers had fully closed in 37.3% of the PDRN group and 18.9% of the placebo group. Median time to closure was 30 days with PDRN and 49 days with placebo.

     Limits:

     The largest placebo-controlled PDRN trial. It tested a registered medicine injected into and around wounds, so it cannot be read across to cosmetic products.

   • Injection

     Effects of polydeoxyribonucleotide in the treatment of pressure ulcers

     Kim JY, Pak CS, Park JH, et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2014;29 Suppl 3:S222-7. PMID 25473213.

     Design:

     Randomised controlled trial. 23 patients with pressure ulcers.

     What it reported:

     After 4 weeks, wound size and a standard pressure-ulcer healing score had fallen more in the PDRN group than in the control group. No adverse effects were reported.

     Limits:

     Very small, and again an injected medicine in a hospital wound-care setting.

   • InjectionRetracted

     A phase III, randomized, double-blind, matched-pairs, active-controlled clinical trial and preclinical animal study to compare polynucleotide filler and hyaluronic acid filler in the correction of crow's feet

     Pak CS, Lee J, Lee H, et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2014;29 Suppl 3:S201-9. PMID 25473210.

     Design:

     Randomised split-face trial of a polynucleotide filler against a hyaluronic acid filler. 72 patients.

     What it reported:

     PubMed lists this paper as a retracted publication. Its results should not be used as evidence.

     Limits:

     It is often cited in marketing for polynucleotide injections. We list it so readers can recognise it, not to rely on it.

4. 2017

   • Review

     Pharmacological activity and clinical use of PDRN

     Squadrito F, Bitto A, Irrera N, et al. Front Pharmacol. 2017;8:224. PMID 28491036.

     Design:

     Narrative review.

     What it reported:

     Describes PDRN as a registered medicine made from salmon-trout or chum-salmon sperm DNA, with chain sizes of 50 to 1,500 kDa, and sets out the proposed mechanism: activating the adenosine A2A receptor and supplying building blocks for DNA through the salvage pathway.

     Limits:

     A review by researchers who ran several of the PDRN trials. It defines pharmaceutical PDRN; a cosmetic labelled PDRN need not match that definition.

5. 2020

   • Review

     The effects of polydeoxyribonucleotide on wound healing and tissue regeneration: a systematic review of the literature

     Colangelo MT, Galli C, Guizzardi S Regen Med. 2020 (published 6 Aug 2020). PMID 32757710.

     Design:

     Systematic review of laboratory, animal and clinical studies to March 2020. 34 studies included.

     What it reported:

     The included studies were consistent with PDRN supporting tissue repair through the salvage pathway and the adenosine A2A receptor, with promising results for wound healing time and few reported side effects.

     Limits:

     Most included studies were laboratory or animal work, and the clinical ones used injections or medical products.

   • Injection

     Comparison of the effects of polynucleotide and hyaluronic acid fillers on periocular rejuvenation: a randomized, double-blind, split-face trial

     Lee YJ, Kim HT, Lee YJ, et al. J Dermatolog Treat. 2022;33(1):254-260 (online 2020). PMID 32248707.

     Design:

     Randomised, double-blind, split-face trial against a hyaluronic acid filler. 27 people, three injection sessions two weeks apart.

     What it reported:

     Overall appearance scores did not differ between the two sides. Improvement in elasticity, hydration, roughness and pore volume was higher on the polynucleotide side. No serious adverse events were reported.

     Limits:

     Small, with no placebo side, and it tested long-chain polynucleotide filler injected around the eyes by clinicians.

6. 2021

   • Injection

     Preliminary prospective and randomized study of highly purified polynucleotide vs placebo in treatment of moderate to severe acne scars

     Araco A, Araco F Aesthet Surg J. 2021;41(7):NP866-NP874. PMID 33755110.

     Design:

     Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. 20 women aged 30 to 50 with atrophic acne scars.

     What it reported:

     Only the polynucleotide group improved significantly from baseline at 1 and 3 months on 3D skin imaging.

     Limits:

     Ten people per group. The authors call it preliminary and ask for larger, longer studies.

7. 2022

   • Laboratory and animal

     A mixture of topical forms of polydeoxyribonucleotide, vitamin C, and niacinamide attenuated skin pigmentation and increased skin elasticity by modulating nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2

     Kim HM, Byun KA, Oh S, et al. Molecules. 2022;27(4):1276. PMID 35209068.

     Design:

     Animal study of UV-B-exposed skin.

     What it reported:

     A liquid mix of PDRN, vitamin C and niacinamide, delivered with microneedling, lowered pigmentation markers and raised collagen and elastin markers in animal skin.

     Limits:

     Animal work, a three-ingredient mix and microneedling delivery. One author is from a cosmetics company. It does not show what a serum does on human skin.

8. 2024

   • Review

     The effectiveness of polynucleotides in esthetic medicine: a systematic review

     Lampridou S, Bassett S, Cavallini M, Christopoulos G J Cosmet Dermatol. 2025;24(2):e16721 (online Dec 2024). PMID 39645667.

     Design:

     Systematic review of studies published 2010 to 2023. 9 studies, 219 patients.

     What it reported:

     Polynucleotide injections showed promising results for wrinkles, texture and elasticity, with mild and short-lived side effects.

     Limits:

     The reviewers rated the nine studies as low to moderate quality, found no agreement on how best to use the injections, and called for rigorous trials.

9. 2025

   • Review

     From polydeoxyribonucleotides (PDRNs) to polynucleotides (PNs): bridging the gap between scientific definitions, molecular insights, and clinical applications

     Marques C, Porcello A, Cerrano M, et al. Biomolecules. 2025;15(1):148. PMID 39858543.

     Design:

     Narrative review proposing a naming rule.

     What it reported:

     Notes that PDRN and PN are used interchangeably in the literature, which causes confusion, and proposes reserving PDRN for chains under 1,500 kDa and PN for longer chains.

     Limits:

     A proposal, not an agreed standard. Several authors work for companies in the field.

10. 2026

    • Topical (skin)

      Topical medium-length PDRN enhances dermal extracellular matrix repair in photodamaged skin via PI3K-Akt/TGF-β-regulated pathways

      Ye R, Wang Q, Du L, et al. PLoS One. 2026;21(7):e0350905. PMID 42430369.

      Design:

      Laboratory and skin-model work plus a randomised, double-blind, split-face study over 28 days. Split-face study of a 0.1% PDRN eye cream against 0.1% retinol.

      What it reported:

      The authors report signal from the PDRN preparation reaching living layers of the epidermis in skin models, and about twice the improvement of retinol in wrinkles around the eyes and in skin thickness and density, with good tolerability.

      Limits:

      The first peer-reviewed human comparison of a topical PDRN cream. It lasted 28 days, tested one specific preparation, and several authors work for the company linked to it. It needs independent repetition.

    • Review

      Polynucleotides and polydeoxyribonucleotides for skin rejuvenation, postoperative scar prevention, and wound healing: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials

      Alhussain AM, et al. Cureus. 2026;18(7). PMID 42572627.

      Design:

      Systematic review limited to randomised clinical trials.

      What it reported:

      Brings together the randomised trials of polynucleotides and PDRN across skin rejuvenation, scar prevention after surgery and wound healing.

      Limits:

      A review is only as strong as the trials in it, and most trials above are small and use injections.

    • Topical (skin)

      Real-world cases using phyto polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) serum

      Wu Y, Guénin S, Fung E, et al. J Drugs Dermatol. 2026;25(9):15491s2-15491s14. PMID 42696342.

      Design:

      Case series in a journal supplement. 8 women aged 28 to 68 after laser, microneedling or peels.

      What it reported:

      Doctors reported that a serum with PDRN made by Lactobacillus bacteria, used after procedures, was well tolerated and useful in aftercare.

      Limits:

      Eight selected cases with no control group, in a supplement. The PDRN is bacterial, not salmon-derived, and the serum has many other ingredients.