Derm-Biome Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reports positive preclinical data in melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma, initiates a program aimed at advancing topical therapies for skin cancer to the clinic
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Derm-Biome Pharmaceuticals, Inc, a Vancouver based preclinical biopharmaceutical company focused on skin health and healthy aging, has initiated a program aimed at advancing its topical treatments for precancerous skin conditions such as actinic keratosis and non-melanoma skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma through to the clinic. One in every three cancers diagnosed worldwide is skin cancer, with non-melanoma skin cancers the most common of all types of cancer, representing a significant market opportunity. According to a report by Grand View Research, Inc, the global actinic keratosis treatment market size alone is expected to reach $8.12 billion USD by 2028.
The current standards of care for non-melanoma skin cancers include surgical excision (costly, leaves scars) and chemotherapy creams (long treatment duration and severe side effects limit patient compliance and, consequently, therapeutic efficacy). In a preclinical study using patient derived squamous cell carcinoma primary cultures, a Derm-Biome compound was completely selective for killing tumor cells but not normal cells, at a rate significantly higher than the standard-of-care drug, 5-Fluorouracil (5FU). Derm-Biome has since developed a new generation of compounds, with one drug in particular exhibiting significantly more cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activity than all previous Derm-Biome drug candidates.
Derm-Biome CSO Dr. Poul Sorensen: “We are very intrigued by our latest data, demonstrating selective cytotoxicity of our compounds on squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, compared to normal skin cells. Treatments for this disease, such as 5-Fluorouracil, tend to have potentially severe side effects, making new non-toxic therapies a significant clinical unmet need. Given our previous data that Derm-Biome compounds have strong anti-inflammatory activity, we are excited that our compounds may represent a mechanistically novel class of compounds to treat malignant skin diseases.”
Derm-Biome CEO Gordon Eberwein: “We see a strong need for an effective and well tolerated topical treatment for precancerous skin conditions and skin cancer. With people spending more leisure time in the sun, a growing elderly population more susceptible to these tumors, and climate change, rates of skin cancer will definitely increase.”
About Derm-Biome Pharmaceuticals, Inc
Derm-Biome Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a preclinical biopharmaceutical company with a suite of natural compound-based small molecules dedicated to improving skin health and healthy aging. Our compounds are well tolerated by the skin and exhibit novel anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-oxidant, and antitumor properties.
Source: Derm-Biome Pharmaceuticals, Inc
