At the ongoing International Society for Stem Cell Research meeting, Chinese researchers reported they demonstrated that SPT6 homolog, histone chaperone and transcription elongation factor (SPT6) promotes epidermal stem/progenitor cells differentiation by facilitating transcriptional elongation, but its role in vivo in skin homeostasis is not well defined.

Ascletis Pharma Inc. has announced IND clearance by the FDA for a phase I trial of ASC-50 for the treatment of mild to moderate plaque psoriasis. Dosing is expected to start in the third quarter of this year.

Researchers from Protagonist Therapeutics Inc. reported the preclinical characterization of PN-881, an oral macrocyclic peptide that inhibits the dimeric forms of IL-17 – AA, AF, and FF.

CC chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) is a G-protein coupled receptor involved in guiding immune cells through the body and the hallmark receptor for T helper 17 (Th17) cells, and is also expressed in other immune cell populations, such as B cells and innate lymphoid cells, among others.

At this week’s American Chemical Society Spring meeting, Galderma SA reported the discovery of novel, oral and selective macrocyclic inhibitors of protein kinase C θ (PKCθ) for the potential treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis.

Researchers from Anew Therapeutics Pte Ltd. recently detailed the discovery of novel oral IL-17A small-molecule inhibitors as candidates for the treatment of psoriasis.

Patients with psoriatic arthritis exhibit high levels of both IL-17A and IL-17F cytokines in the synovium. Bimekizumab, a biologic that targets both IL-17A and IL-17F, was recently approved for the treatment of plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent and inflammatory skin disorder associated with immune system dysregulation. The abnormal immune response led to accelerated skin cell proliferation, resulting in thick plaques and chronic inflammation. The current gold-standard treatment is injectable immunosuppression.

In a deal that Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Eric Schmidt characterized as “capital recycling at its best,” Alumis Inc. and Acelyrin Inc. are merging in an all-stock transaction. The combined pipelines include Alumis’ most advanced prospect, ESK-001, an oral, next-generation, allosteric inhibitor of tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2). ESK-001 is undergoing the phase III Onward study for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis as well as the phase II Lumus bid in systemic lupus erythematosus.