Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd.: UV-protective drug to be tested for vitiligo
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Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd.: UV-protective drug to be tested for vitiligo
SCENESSE® (afamelanotide) to be trialled as novel repigmentation therapy
A drug initially developed to protect skin from light and UV will soon be tested as a repigmentation therapy in vitiligo, a common disorder which causes skin to gradually lose its pigment or tone. SCENESSE®, a new drug developed in Australia, will be evaluated for its ability to reactivate melanin in the whitened, depigmented skin patches caused by vitiligo.
If approved by US and EU regulators, Melbourne-based Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd will commence trials in October.
“Our vitiligo program is a potential breakthrough for patients and testament to Clinuvel's expertise in the field of dermatology and skincare: the activation of melanin, pigment, in skin,” Clinuvel's CEO, Dr Philippe Wolgen said.
The active ingredient in SCENESSE®, afamelanotide, works by mimicking the body's own response to ultraviolet light; activating melanin in the skin to protect against damage. The drug is delivered as an injectable implant, roughly the size of a grain of rice, and biologically activates melanin for up to 60 days.
In vitiligo the pigment producing cells of the skin (melanocytes) are absent or inadequate. As a result, lighter patches of skin appear in different parts of the body due to a lack of melanin. Vitiligo doesn’t cause physical impairment but does cause significant psychological and emotional distress. The disorder affects up to 2% of the population. Nonsegmental vitiligo (NSV), the most common subtype, affects over 45 million people globally.
While testing SCENESSE® for other diseases, including skin cancer, Clinuvel discovered that the drug may help vitiligo patients.
“For a long time we were unsure of the potential of the drug in vitiligo,” explained Clinuvel's Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Hank Agersborg. “But, since the scientific reports came through on the effects of phototherapy in vitiligo, we understood SCENESSE’s ability to assist with repigmenting skin lesions.”
SCENESSE® will be tested in a pilot NSV study on its own and in combination with an existing therapy called narrowband ultraviolet B (NB-UVB), which uses UV light to activate pigment and restore melanocytes. It is expected that SCENESSE® will enhance this therapy as well as activating melanin independently by stimulating specific melanocytes which exist in hair follicles within the skin.
“Vitiligo is a disorder that has a considerable impact on the lives of patients worldwide,” Dr Wolgen said. “To be able to evaluate a potential therapy that could help improve quality of life for these people is a vastly rewarding prospect for Clinuvel.
“We are excited to be able to commence this trial and work with the vitiligo community to determine the drug's effect.”
To date, SCENESSE® has been safely administered to approximately 550 patients and is in late stage confirmatory clinical trials in the US and Europe for the rare light intolerance porphyria (EPP).
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For more information, contact Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Australia T: +61 3 9660 4900 or
Clinuvel AG (Switzerland) T: +41 41 767 45 45, investorrelations(at)clinuvel.com
Leseranfragen:
CLINUVEL PHARMA
Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Limited,
Level 11,
330 Collins Street,
Melbourne
VIC 3000
Australia
Tel: +61 3 9660 4900
Fax:+61 3 9660 4999
Datum: 25.08.2010 - 11:17 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 24873
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