Method for the treatment of skin fibrosis and suitable compositions for such treatment

A composition for topical application to skin of a subject, said composition consisting of an emulsion comprising

• (a) an aqueous phase which comprises a peptide that inhibits TBFβ1, said peptide being selected from the group consisting of
• i) SEQ ID NO:
• 1 or SEQ ID NO:
• 2or a fragment of SEQ ID NO:
• 1 or SEQ ID NO:
• 2 having at least 6 amino acids;
• ii) a peptide that comprises at least six consecutive amino acids from SEQ ID NO:
• 1 or SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• and
• iii) a peptide having more than 75% homology with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 1 or SEQ ID NO:
• 2;
• said peptide having a molecular weight ranging from 700 to 3,000 Daltons and a solubility value in a range from 3 to −9, said peptide being present in the composition in an amount capable of reducing fibrosis on the skin of the subject;
• and
• (b) a lipophilic phase;
• the emulsion being such that the peptide is absorbed through the epidermal barrier of the skin of the subject for local inhibition of TGFβ1 without systemic absorption of the peptide.

A method for preventing or treating a fibrotic disease or complications thereof on the skin of a subject comprising topically applying to the skin of the subject a composition comprising

• (a) a peptide that inhibits TGFβ1, said peptide having a molecular weight ranging from 700 to 3,000 Daltons;
• and a solubility value in a range from 3 to −9;
• and
• (b) a topical vehicle for administration of the peptide, such that the peptide diffuses through the epidermal barrier of the skin of the subject for local inhibition of TGFβ1 without systemic absorption of the peptide, wherein the subject is a mammal and the composition is an emulsion comprising the following components:
• a plurality of antimicrobial compounds in an amount of about 0.01 to 1.0 wt %, a silicone in an amount of about 0.5 to 30 wt %, a mineral oil in an amount of about 1 to 45 wt %. an organic solvent in an amount of about 0.1 to 5 wt %, water in an amount of at least about 40 wt %, a viscosity increasing agent in an amount of about 0.5 to 50 wt %, an emulsifier in an amount of about 0.1 to 3% w/v, and the peptide that inhibits TGFβ1 in an amount of about 0.00 1 to 0.035 wt %:
• wherein the components are present in the emulsion in respective amounts such that the peptide diffuses through the epidermal barrier of the skin of the mammal for local inhibition of TGFβ1 without systemic absorption of the peptide, said emulsion being stable at room temperature for more than 24 hours, and
• wherein the peptide consists essentially of SEQ ID NO:
• 2, the silicone is a dimethicone, the mineral oil is liquid paraffin, the plurality of antimicrobial compounds comprise methylparaben and propylparaben, the organic solvent comprises dimethylsulphoxide and the viscosity increasing agent comprises cetostearylic alcohol.