Phagocytosis – eliminating millions of dead cells every day – requires specialized cells such as macrophages, the true professionals, which migrate to engulf waste and dying cells. But they are not the only ones that can perform this task, as scientists at Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) discovered when they investigated hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs), a tissue in constant regeneration, to clarify how dying cells are detected and cleared in the epithelium and the mesenchyme.

Kalm Therapeutics Inc. disclosed a $700,000 oversubscribed closing of its seed round, which will be used to complete regulatory activities outlined in Kalm’s pre-IND meeting with the U.S. FDA, fund personnel and transfer the company’s patch production to a manufacturer.

With favorable data from the phase III trial testing izokibep, a small protein therapeutic designed to inhibit IL-17A, in hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), Acelyrin Inc. CEO Mina Kim said the firm will “look at all the options and do what’s best for the program.” The phase III trial hit its primary endpoint of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response 75 at 12 weeks. At the same time, the Los Angeles-based firm made known a refocused pipeline strategy that prioritizes lonigutamab in thyroid eye disease (TED) and is projected to extend its cash runway.

Aiming to offer an advantage over Dupixent (dupilumab, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.), dermatology-focused Galderma Holding SA won clearance from the U.S. FDA for Nemluvio (nemolizumab) as a prefilled pen providing a subcutaneous injection to treat adults with prurigo nodularis (PN).

Mediwound Ltd. reported that the Nexobrid expanded treatment access protocol achieved complete debridement in 94.9% of adults and all children treated and removed all eschar within 24 hours. The results put more power behind a partnership with Vericel Corp. that introduced Nexobrid, an enzymatic debridement agent for severe thermal burns, into the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2023 and increases the likelihood of an indication expansion into pediatrics.

Succeeding where others have failed in an indication with high unmet need, Celldex Therapeutics Inc. disclosed top-line data from the phase II trial with barzolvolimab (barzo) against two common forms of chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU): cold urticaria (ColdU) and symptomatic dermographism (SD).

Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. has reported successful in vivo preclinical study results for its anti-IL-17A/F VHH antibody fragment (NanoAb) as a local intralesional biological treatment for mild to moderate plaque psoriasis. The NanoAb targets the two isoforms of the cytokine IL-17 (A and F) implicated in plaque psoriasis.