First-of-its-kind Healthy Skin Dermatology Center launched by Clinique and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Clinique has announced a first-of-its-kind partnership with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, founding the Mount Sinai-Clinique Healthy Skin Dermatology Center. The Center will concentrate its research efforts on skin aging, allergies, and inflammatory conditions, and “the partnership will focus on applicable scientific discovery and leading-edge innovation to modernize allergy science to identify innovative solutions for these skin conditions,” shared Mount Sinai’s press release covering the announcement.

To learn more about the Mount Sinai-Clinique Healthy Skin Dermatology Center including the background behind the unique partnership, the Center’s short and long term goals for innovative research in the skin health space, and the anticipated impact of the Center’s research on the skin care product industry, CosmeticsDesign interviewed Michelle Freyre, President, Global Brands, Clinique and Origins, at The Estée Lauder Companies and Emma Guttman, MD, PhD, Waldman Professor of Dermatology and Immunology and Health System Chair of the Department of Dermatology, and Director of both the Center for Excellence in Eczema and the Laboratory for Inflammatory Skin Diseases at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for their insights.

CDU: Can you provide some background about how the partnership between Mount Sinai and Clinique came to fruition?​

Michelle Freyre (MF)​: The philanthropic partnership was inspired by a shared mission to deliver dermatological research that improves patients’ lives, to focus on applicable scientific discovery and cutting-edge innovation to modernize allergy science. Clinique was co-founded by Dr. Norman Orentreich and his children, Dr. Catherine Orentreich and Dr. David Orentreich, continue their father’s legacy for Clinique.

In their role, as Clinique’s Guiding Dermatologists they share patient insights that inform the brand’s innovation, consult on regular basis when it comes to product formulas, ingredients, expectations and needs from patients.

They also share their perspective about new developments in dermatology. Dr. David Orentreich introduced Clinique’s head of product development to Dr. Guttman which sparked the idea for the creation of the center.

Dr. ​Emma Guttman (EG)​: ​Dr David Orentreich and Dr. Catherine Orentreich are members of our dermatology advisory board and important pillars of our department.

David that knew about our ideas for future research in skin aging, bridging the expertise we bring from the eczema and allergy research with our expansion in skin aging and cosmetic dermatology and our desire to create a dedicated center of excellence did the introduction to the Clinique management, which we believe will be leading to a revolutionary collaboration.

We are excited for this opportunity to improve patients’ appearance and reduce the signs of aging through the knowledge gained through this center and this exciting partnership. We are also immensely grateful for the insights of David Orentreich and his vision that led us on this path.

CDU: What are the short- and long-term goals for the Mount Sinai-Clinique Healthy Skin Dermatology Center?​

MF​: The goal is to explore the biological underpinnings of how skin ages to find new solutions for skin allergies and inflammatory or eczematous skin conditions, including eczema (or atopic dermatitis) and contact dermatitis.

Research conducted under the Mount Sinai-Clinique Healthy Skin Dermatology Center aims to uncover scientific findings to accelerate the creation of new topical and systemic treatments that alleviate the skin conditions of individuals affected by allergic skin conditions. 

The priority is to bridge basic science with practical application in the clinic to improve people's lives through healthy skin. Insights from this research aim to spur advances in the field of dermatology and skin health.

Additionally, it will inform and inspire Clinique in future product innovation to offer further solutions for individuals with allergic or sensitive skin to promote healthy skin. Mount Sinai predicts that with Clinique’s support, critical breakthroughs will be fast-tracked, from the earliest stages of the multiyear partnership.

CDU: What is “inflammaging,” and why is it a trending topic in the skin care space?​

EG​: ​Inflammaging is the process of increased inflammation in skin and blood of healthy individuals with aging. We believe that in many ways it simulates the process that happens in patients with eczema with age.

We plan to study in detail this process in health and disease to determine molecules that can be targeted to prevent premature aging or postpone the aging process.

CDU: How will the research conducted at the Mount Sinai-Clinique Healthy Skin Dermatology Center be used by Clinique to inform future ingredient and product formulation and development?​

MF​: The findings will inform and inspire Clinique in future product innovation to offer further solutions for individuals with allergic or sensitive skin to promote healthy skin.    

CDU: As the first of its kind, do you think this partnership will inspire others to follow suit?​

EG​: I think this unique center will be a hub that will bring together under one roof research innovation to try to find new molecules involved in skin aging and aging in general, together with state-of-the-art cosmetic and laser dermatology, with unique clinical trials that will test novel modalities to slow down aging and improve the skin appearance in healthy subjects and in those with sensitive or allergic skin.

This will create a revolution in the field, as currently cosmetic dermatology centers are usually not doing translational research and/or clinical trials. This is necessary to push the field forward and propel innovation, similar to what we have done in inflammatory skin diseases.

We hope this center will be an inspiration for patients and physicians alike and we are hoping to be considered global leaders in cosmetic dermatology care and research.

CDU: What do you anticipate will be the impact of this partnership on the overall cosmetics and personal care product industries?​

MF​: ​Research conducted under the Mount Sinai-Clinique Healthy Skin Dermatology Center aims to uncover scientific findings to accelerate the creation of new topical and systemic treatments that alleviate the skin conditions of individuals affected by allergic skin conditions. 

The priority is to bridge basic science with practical application in the clinic to improve people's lives through healthy skin.

We believe that by investigating healthy skin, along with the skin of those with atopic dermatitis and other allergic skin disorders, we may learn how to significantly slow aging in all people as well as in patients with eczema, who show signs of premature or accelerated aging.

We anticipate insights from this research will aim to spur advances in the field of dermatology and skin health.

CDU: Anything else to add?​

EG​: ​Through this center and expansion Mount Sinai dermatology would like to make a global impact on the study of aging and help develop innovative means to slow down aging. We are grateful for this partnership that will help further innovation.

We want to ensure our patients’ lives are improved not only through treatment of their skin diseases, but also through the better appearance and rejuvenation of their skin.