Eau Thermale Avène has partnered with Toulouse-based health technology firm BotDesign to incorporate artificial intelligence into a new clinical study evaluating an acne treatment, marking what the company says is the first use of AI in dermo-cosmetics clinical research.

The study, planned for 2026, will assess the effectiveness of Avène Cleanance Comedomed+ during the maintenance phase following oral isotretinoin treatment in adults with severe to very severe acne. The research aims to determine whether the product can help maintain skin improvements after medication therapy.

The initiative is part of broader efforts by Pierre Fabre Laboratories to explore how artificial intelligence can support a new generation of clinical studies in dermatology and skincare.

The project also aligns with Pierre Fabre’s “Supportive Care” strategy launched in 2025, which focuses on combining dermo-cosmetic products with medical treatments to improve patient outcomes and extend the benefits of therapy.

“We belong to a group that has always been rooted in pharmaceuticals and dermo-cosmetics. Our medical expertise gives us a head start in understanding patients and their pathologies. We are ideally positioned to offer treatment protocols based on the pathology, combining dermo-cosmetics with medication. We are already preparing solutions to go further by developing dermo-cosmetic innovations capable of extending and amplifying the action of the medication or delaying its necessity. Because these are dermo-cosmetics, they can be used over the long term, unlike many drug treatments,” said Dr. Gautier Doat, Medical director at Eau Thermale Avène.

Avène said the collaboration with BotDesign represents a step toward integrating advanced data analysis and AI capabilities into clinical research within the dermo-cosmetics sector.