PDRN (“salmon-DNA” / polynucleotides): what the evidence actually shows
Regenerative injectable / cosmetic
PDRN is sold as the fastest-moving injectable in aesthetics, and the registry does not match that description. Counting studies that name the substance, ClinicalTrials.gov holds 18 registered studies on 2026-09-07. One has reached Phase 3, 4 are recruiting and none was registered in the previous 90 days. Platelet-rich plasma, the older competitor, holds 1,137 studies and 111 at Phase 3. The wound-healing literature behind PDRN is real; the cosmetic claims built on top of it are running well ahead of it.
PubMed footprint (2026-09-07): 430 indexed publications, 170 involving humans (search: polydeoxyribonucleotide[Title/Abstract] OR PDRN[Title/Abstract]).
What it is
PDRN stands for polydeoxyribonucleotide. It is a mixture of DNA fragments, purified in practice from salmon or trout milt, which is where the “salmon sperm facial” name comes from. It is injected into skin, or applied to wounds, and is proposed to work through the adenosine A2A receptor and through supplying nucleotides for tissue repair.
Related products are sold as “polynucleotides”. That word matters for counting, because it also names a whole class of molecules in biochemistry that has nothing to do with aesthetics.
The counting trap
Search PubMed for polynucleotides and you get thousands of papers about nucleic acids in general. Search for the substance by name and the number collapses. Both counts are correct. Only one of them describes the injectable.
| How the search is written | PubMed records | Human records | Randomised trials | Registered studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Named substance only: polydeoxyribonucleotide OR PDRN in title or abstract | 430 | 170 | 17 | 18 |
Broad: the word polynucleotide added | 5,045 | 1,064 | 31 | 71 |
PubMed E-utilities and ClinicalTrials.gov API v2, retrieved 2026-09-07. The broad row is shown to make the gap visible, not because it measures the product.
Every count below uses the named-substance search. Where the indication breakdown needs the broader expression, that is stated.
What the registry holds
On 2026-09-07, ClinicalTrials.gov held 18 registered studies naming PDRN. 1 has reached Phase 3. 4 are recruiting, 9 are recorded as completed, and 0 were registered in the previous 90 days.
Set against the injectables it is sold alongside, that is a small and quiet file.
Registered studies per injectable. The darker bar is the subset that reached Phase 3. ClinicalTrials.gov API v2, retrieved 2026-09-07.
| Injectable | Registered | Recruiting | Phase 3 | New in 90 days | PubMed human records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDRN | 18 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 170 |
| Exosomes (skin) | 92 | 17 | 3 | 6 | 388 |
| Hyaluronic acid (aesthetic) | 541 | 45 | 37 | 26 | — |
| Platelet-rich plasma | 1,137 | 119 | 111 | 41 | 10,615 |
Hyaluronic acid has no comparable PubMed human count here, because the term spans orthopaedic and ophthalmic use as well as aesthetics.
A registered study is a declaration of intent, not a result. None of these numbers says any of these products works.
The evidence is strongest where the marketing is quietest
Using the broader expression, which catches trials that write “polynucleotide” rather than PDRN, the studies split by what they are for.
Studies by indication, recruiting subset in the darker bar. Broad expression, ClinicalTrials.gov API v2, retrieved 2026-09-07.
Wound and ulcer work accounts for 20 studies, 6 of them recruiting. Skin and aesthetic work accounts for 25, with 0 at Phase 3. The knee has 7.
The literature runs the same way. Restricting PubMed to skin, dermal or wrinkle terms leaves 89 records, 41 of them human, and 2 randomised controlled trials. Two randomised trials is the entire controlled base for the cosmetic use.
For comparison, platelet-rich plasma carries 913 randomised controlled trials in PubMed. The difference is not that PDRN failed those trials. They have not been run.
What to ask before paying for a course
Ask which indication the evidence being quoted was for. A wound-healing result does not transfer to wrinkles.
Ask whether the product is a regulated medicine or a device where you live. Regulatory status for PDRN differs by country and changes what the seller is allowed to claim.
Ask what the comparator was. Before-and-after photographs without a control arm do not separate the injection from the needle, the saline or the passage of time.
Nothing on this page is medical advice or a treatment recommendation.
Repeat these counts yourself
Every number above comes from one extraction on 2026-09-07. Running the same searches will return today's counts, which will differ as the databases change.
| What is counted | Search expression |
|---|---|
| PubMed, named substance | polydeoxyribonucleotide[Title/Abstract] OR PDRN[Title/Abstract] |
| PubMed, skin and aesthetics | (polydeoxyribonucleotide[Title/Abstract] OR PDRN[Title/Abstract]) AND (skin[Title/Abstract] OR dermal[Title/Abstract] OR wrinkle[Title/Abstract]) |
| Registry, named substance | polydeoxyribonucleotide OR PDRN |
| Registry, broad expression | polydeoxyribonucleotide OR PDRN OR polynucleotide |
| Registry, skin and aesthetics | (polydeoxyribonucleotide OR PDRN OR polynucleotide) AND (skin OR dermal OR aesthetic) |
FAQ
How many clinical trials of PDRN are there?
ClinicalTrials.gov held 18 registered studies naming PDRN on 2026-09-07. One has reached Phase 3, 4 are recruiting and 0 were registered in the previous 90 days. Adding the broader word polynucleotide raises the total to 71, but that expression also catches unrelated work.
Is PDRN scientifically legitimate?
The wound-healing research is genuine and goes back decades. The cosmetic use rests on a much smaller base: restricting PubMed to skin terms leaves 89 records and 2 randomised controlled trials.
How does PDRN compare with platelet-rich plasma?
By volume of evidence, they are not close. PRP has 1,137 registered studies and 111 at Phase 3, against 18 and 1 for PDRN. PRP also carries 913 randomised controlled trials in PubMed against 17 for PDRN.
Do salmon-DNA creams work like the injections?
The studies that exist test injected or topically applied preparations under controlled conditions. A cosmetic cream sold on the same ingredient name has not been shown to deliver the same thing to the same depth.
Is the “salmon sperm facial” safe?
Reported adverse events in the published studies are mostly local and short-lived. The base is small, so absence of reported harm in 170 human records is weak evidence of safety compared with a large randomised programme.
Sources & further reading
- PubMed: polydeoxyribonucleotide OR PDRN
- PubMed: (polydeoxyribonucleotide OR PDRN) AND skin
- ClinicalTrials.gov: polydeoxyribonucleotide OR PDRN
- ClinicalTrials.gov: platelet-rich plasma, for comparison
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Registry and literature counts retrieved 2026-08-29 (ClinicalTrials.gov API v2; PubMed E-utilities). Registration or publication volume measures research activity, not effectiveness or approval. Educational information — not medical advice; verify product, indication, legal pathway and evidence with an independent qualified physician. Page generated 2026-09-07. See our editorial standards.