Provectus Pharmaceuticals, a company specializing in oncology and dermatological therapeutics, has announced preliminary Phase II data for its drug candidate to treat psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Patients with psoriasis demonstrated 79% improvement in the Psoriasis Scoring Index after four weeks of daily treatment with PH-10. By week four, 83% of patients reported no or mild itching. Psoriasis is a chronic immune disorder that causes thick, red, scaly patches on the skin. It is associated with diabetes, heart disease and obesity.
The mid-stage trial evaluated 30 patients with mild to moderate psoriasis on the trunk and extremities. The study is expected to finish this month.
The Phase II trial of PH-10 for atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema, also yielded positive preliminary results. Out of the first 18 subjects, 94 percent showed improvement in the Eczema Area Severity Index. Patients applied PH-10 daily on the affected areas for up to four weeks. Their conditions were observed during treatment and for one month after the end of treatment.
In both trials, PH-10 was generally well-tolerated by patients. PH-10 is a topical solution formulated with Rose Bengal, a compound that has been previously used to assess eye damage and detect liver problems. Provectus is also developing the anti-cancer drug PV-10, currently in Phase II trials to treat metastatic melanoma.
Atopic dermatitis is characterized by rashes and dry, itchy skin. Patients may scratch at itchy patches enough to cause scaling, thickening or “weeping” of the skin. Atopic dermatitis is typically controlled with skin creams or corticosteroids. Some companies developing treatments for skin diseases, including various forms of dermatitis, include Astion Pharma, CytoGenix, Action Pharma, Morria Biopharmaceuticals and PhytoPharm.
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