Shanghai Moyom Biotechnology Co. Ltd. has launched its Aphranel Magiccrystal dermal filler, the first injectable calcium hydroxylapatite microsphere-based dermal filler developed in China, and the company is already expanding globally.
Among the strong points of Nektar Therapeutics Inc.’s atopic dermatitis (AD) prospect, rezpegaldesleukin (rezpeg), an IL-2 pathway agonist and regulatory T-cell proliferator, is the drug’s faster onset of action – a feature that experts say may help differentiate the compound from competitors in the OX40 space.
Neucore Bio Inc. announced it has been awarded a US$304,000 National Science Foundation Small Business Technology Transfer grant to evaluate scalable manufacturing of exosome-based gene delivery methods.
Becoming the first approved treatment for chronic hand eczema in the U.S., Leo Pharma A/S’s Anzupgo (delgocitinib) received FDA clearance for an indication that affects 10% of adults worldwide. The cream, dosed at 20 mg/g and applied topically, will treat moderate to severe cases in those not responsive to, or unable to take, topical corticosteroids.
Jiangsu Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. and Shanghai Hansoh Biomedical Co. Ltd. have synthesized new mast/stem cell growth factor receptor kit (KIT; c-KIT; CD117) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of urticaria.
Plasmacure B.V. secured €6 million (US$7 million) in series A funding for its Plasoma cold plasma system to treat complex wounds. The round was led by Venture Medical LLC, a U.S.-based provider of solutions for wound care, which also committed to spend over $10 million to support regulatory approval, reimbursement and U.S. market expansion of the Plasoma technology.
When injured, the human skin is repaired through a wound-healing process that forms fibrotic scar tissue. Scarring burdens patients at both the functional and esthetic levels, and scars in the craniofacial region in particular can be psychologically damaging for the individual. The principal limitation to developing effective scarring treatments is the limited understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind scar formation and the mechanisms that drive repair without scarring.
Eluciderm Inc. has received clearance from the U.S. FDA for its IND to conduct a phase I/IIa open-label study evaluating the safety and efficacy of ELU-42, a topical spray-on solution for open wound healing, in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).
Apogee Therapeutics Inc. plans to enter a crowded atopic dermatitis market with established drugs, such as Dupixent (dupilumab, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Sanofi SA) and Ebglyss (lebrikizumab-lbkz, Eli Lilly and Co.), which are sold by much larger competitors. But the company thinks it can compete with its anti-IL-13 antibody, APG-777, thanks to the drug’s 77 day half-life that may allow it to be dosed only two to four times a year in the maintenance phase, compared to 13 to 26 injections per year for the established competitors.
Humanwell Healthcare (Group) Co. Ltd. has divulged Mas-related G-protein coupled receptor member X2 (MRGPRX2) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of pain, autoimmune disease and dermatological disorders.