STOCKHOLM, 3 September, 2018 — Promore Pharma AB, a Swedish biopharmaceutical developer of therapeutic peptides, today announced that the company plans to expand the indications of its lead compound, the anti-adhesion and anti-scarring agent PXL01, to explore the feasibility of using it for prevention of dermal scarring.
PXL01 is currently in clinical Phase III development for the prevention of post-surgical adhesions after tendon repair surgery in the hand. Promore Pharma has now planned for a clinical Phase I/II study in the field of dermal scarring. The study will be performed in Sweden and co-ordinated by Fredrik Huss, Associate Professor in Plastic Surgery at Uppsala University.
“Dermal scarring represents a largely unmet medical need. There are ways to treat existing scars. However, there really are no products considered to be truly effective on the current market that target the development of scars”, said Dr. Fredrik Huss.
“PXL01 seems to have some unique properties that would make it a promising agent for further investigation regarding prevention of scar development. Therefore, I am thrilled and hopeful about the R&D initiatives of Promore Pharma in this area”, he continued.
Cutaneous scars commonly form after surgical procedures, such as plastic surgery or caesarean sections, trauma, burns and infections. It is estimated that more than 100 million people develop scars after trauma and elective surgery in the traditional pharmaceuticals markets every year.
Furthermore, a notable proportion of this population will require surgical intervention for their scars due to aesthetic considerations or functional impairment. Consumer surveys also show that a very high share of plastic surgery patients is willing to pay to reduce or prevent scarring. The global scar treatment market is expected to approach a value of EUR 30 billion by 2025, according to several independent estimations. Today, there are no pharmaceutical prescription products available for preventing scar formation.
”We are enthused over the decision of expanding the indication horizon of our PXL01 technology platform to also include dermal scarring,” said Jonas Ekblom, President and CEO of Promore Pharma.
“There are numerous potential medical applications for PXL01, that we are aiming to address through a combination of our own investments and through strategic collaborations”, he continued.
Promore Pharma’s pipeline is composed of therapeutic peptides representing potential medical value in a number of different indications. The aggregated market potential of Promore Pharma’s product candidates offers a market potential of more than one billion EUR annually, when also including indication broadening opportunities, such as degenerative disc disorder, dermal scarring and post-surgical adhesions associated with minimally invasive surgical procedures.
Earlier in this year, Promore Pharma announced that it would collaborate with PharmaResearch Products Ltd in Korea to develop a product based on PXL01 aimed for prevention of fibrosis in conjunction with surgical treatment of degenerative disc disorder.
For additional information, please contact
Jonas Ekblom, CEO
Phone: [+46] 736 777 540
Email: jonas.ekblom@promorepharma.com
Jenni Björnulfson, CFO
Phone: [+46] 708 55 38 05
Email: jenni.bjornulfson@promorepharma.com
Promore Pharma in brief
Promore Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company specialized in the development of therapeutic peptides for the bioactive wound care market. The company’s aim is to develop two first-in-category products for indications where very few efficacious prescription pharmaceuticals are available, thus, addressing high unmet medical needs. Promore Pharma’s two projects, PXL01 and LL-37, are in late stage clinical phase. PXL01, that will be used for prevention of post-surgical adhesions and scars, is being prepared for clinical Phase III-studies in patients undergoing tendon repair surgery in the hand. LL-37 is being prepared for a clinical Phase IIb study in patients with venous leg ulcers. The product candidates can also be deployed for other indications, such as preventing dermal scarring and treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. The company is listed on Nasdaq First North with Redeye AB as Certified Adviser.
About dermal scar and adhesion formation
A dermal (cutaneous) scar is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin in the wound healing process in the skin, as well as in other organs and tissues of the body. With the exception of very minor lesions, every wound (e.g., after accident, disease, or surgery) results in some degree of scarring. Inflammation and fibrin formation are two pivotal mechanisms that contribute to scar and adhesion formation and seem to accelerate in conjunction with tissue inflammation. After larger incisions or injuries, scars tend to become permanent, and when occurring on the skin may result in cosmetic impairment.
About PXL01
PXL01 is derived from a human anti-bacterial protein (lactoferrin), which is part of the innate immune system. This protein and its fragments have several modes of action, including immunomodulation and enhancement of fibrinolytic activity. It is well established that inflammation and fibrin formation after surgery are two pivotal mechanisms that strongly contribute to scar formation. Although, the development of PXL01 is initially aiming at preventing postsurgical adhesions after tendon repair surgery, the peptide can be envisioned for clinical use in a variety of diseases and conditions.