Siienna Labs was issued US Patent No. 8,895,071 covering, among other aspects, methods of using the company's plasmonic nanoparticle platform for localizing thermal damage to sebaceous glands and hair, a key mechanism for their investigational acne treatment and hair removal indications.

Sienna Labs' invention, "THERMAL TREATMENT OF A PILOSEBACEOUS UNIT WITH COATED METAL NANOPARTICLES," specifically relates to using gold, silver, nickel, platinum, or titanium plasmonic nanoparticles to localize thermal damage to sebaceous glands, hair, and other components of the pilosebaceous unit. Several claims of the patent protect key methods for applying these plasmonic nanoparticles to the skin, delivering them specifically into the pilosebaceous unit, and activating the particles with light to localize thermal damage to the gland and hair follicle. Included in certain claims are methods for delivering particles specifically into the pilosebaceous unit using mechanical vibration devices including massage or ultrasound. Other key claims relate to the use of coatings that have the ability to, for example, reduce non-specific adsorption of particles on non-target epidermal surfaces and/or ensure stable mono disperse particle formulations.

Todd Harris, Sienna Labs' Chief Executive Officer, stated, "We are pleased to secure this key patent protecting use of a broad class of plasmonic nanoparticles to treat conditions involving the pilosebaceous unit. This patent provides us with a strong foundation to protect our Targeted Plasmonic Therapy (TPT) platform while we continue to prosecute related patents that will further enhance the scope of our patent protection."