Efinaconazole

Pictured: Novo Nordisk's corporate headquarters in Denmark/iStock, Ole Schwander Spanish pharma Almirall announced Monday that it has licensed Novo Nordisk’s anti-IL-21 monoclonal antibody NN-8828, which it plans to develop as a treatment for immune inflammatory dermatological diseases and has first-in-class potential. Almirall is looking to “accelerate the development” of NN-8828 with an eye towards eventually debuting the candidate on the global market for “key dermatological diseases,” according to Monday’s announcement. Under the licensing agreement, Novo will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and will be entitled to developmental and commercial milestones, as well as tiered royalties on future global sales. The licensing agreement will allow Almirall to “explore the innovative approach of IL-21 blockage as a possible new pathway to effectively treat a range of dermatological diseases,” CSO Karl Ziegelbauer said in a statement. The pharma, headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, is focused on medical dermatology. NN-8828 is a monoclonal antibody that targets and binds the IL-21 cytokine with high affinity. IL-21 is a key player in the inflammatory cascade and has been implicated in various immune-based skin diseases, including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, pemphigus and Sjögren's syndrome. By blocking IL-21 signaling, NN-8828 can potentially inhibit the underlying mechanisms of these diseases providing “a promising option for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune skin disorders,” according to Almirall. Before punting the candidate over to Almirall, Novo had trialed NN-8828 up to Phase II in non-dermatological conditions. In January 2013, the Danish pharma announced that it was discontinuing the development of NN-8828 in rheumatoid arthritis after the candidate delivered a middling performance in a Phase IIa study. NN-8828 met its primary endpoint of significantly lowering disease activity versus placebo but “the magnitude of the treatment effect did not warrant further development,” according to Novo. The Danish drugmaker continued assessing NN-8828 in other inflammatory diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and systemic lupus erythematosus, but ultimately exited the inflammation space entirely in September 2014. Now part of Almirall’s holdings, NN-8828 joins a pipeline of promising dermatology therapies anchored by lebrikizumab, which is currently undergoing regulatory review in the European Union for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. Almirall licensed the European rights for lebrikizumab from Dermira in June 2019. Eli Lilly acquired Dermira in January 2020. Also under review in the EU is Almirall’s efinaconazole, an investigational treatment for the fungal infection onychomycosis and sarecycline, meant to treat acne. Tristan Manalac is an independent science writer based in Metro Manila, Philippines. Reach out to him on LinkedIn or email him at tristan@tristanmanalac.com or tristan.manalac@biospace.com.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Vanda) (Nasdaq: VNDA) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Investigational New Drug (IND) application to evaluate VTR-297 for the treatment of onychomycosis. Onychomycosis, or tinea unguium, is a fungal infection of the nail. Onychomycosis can result in discoloration of the nail, onycholysis (nail separation from the nail bed), and nail plate thickening. Onychomycosis accounts for one half of all nail disease with an estimated U.S. prevalence of up to 14%.1 In addition to cosmetic issues, onychomycosis infection may indirectly decrease peripheral circulation, thereby worsening conditions such as venous stasis and diabetic foot ulcers.2 "The initiation of clinical studies with VTR-297 in the treatment of onychomycosis is an important milestone in studying and developing potential new therapies for this common disorder," said Mihael H. Polymeropoulos, M.D., Vanda's President, CEO and Chairman of the Board. VTR-297 is a small molecule histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor with activity against dermatophytes and fungi, originally isolated from the yeast species Streptomyces hygroscopicus as an antifungal antibiotic, first described in 1976.3 Current therapies for onychomycosis include topical agents JUBLIA® (efinaconzole), KERYDIN® (tavaborole), and PENLAC® (ciclopirox). There have not been any new onychomycosis treatments approved by the FDA since 2014.4 References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fungal Nail Infections. Updated September 13, 2022. Accessed January 30, 2024. Available online: Scher, R. Onychomycosis: a significant medical disorder. J Am Acad Dermatol. 35, S2–5 (1996). Available online: (96)90061-4 Tsuji, N., Kobayashi, M., Nagashima, K., Wakisaka, Y., Koizumi, K. A New Antifungal Antibiotic, Trichostatin. J Antibiot (Tokyo). 1976 Jan;29(1):1-6. Available online: Markham, A. Tavaborole: First Global Approval. Drugs 74, 1555–1558 (2014). Available online: About Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. Vanda is a leading global biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies to address high unmet medical needs and improve the lives of patients. For more on Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc., please visit and follow us on Twitter @vandapharma. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Various statements in this press release, including, but not limited to statements regarding the estimated prevalence of onychomycosis and the development of new antifungals, are "forward-looking statements" under the securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and assumptions that involve risks, changes in circumstances, assumptions and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in Vanda's forward-looking statements include, among others, the accuracy of the reporting and diagnosis of onychomycosis and onychomycosis cases and the ability to successfully complete the clinical development of, and obtain regulatory approval for, VTR-297 in the treatment of onychomycosis. Therefore, no assurance can be given that the results or developments anticipated by Vanda will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Vanda. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the various risks and uncertainties that affect Vanda's business and market, particularly those identified in the "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements", "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" sections of Vanda's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as updated by Vanda's subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at . All written and verbal forward-looking statements attributable to Vanda or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to herein. Vanda cautions investors not to rely too heavily on the forward-looking statements Vanda makes or that are made on its behalf. The information in this press release is provided only as of the date of this press release, and Vanda undertakes no obligation, and specifically declines any obligation, to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Corporate Contact: Kevin Moran Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. 202-734-3400 [email protected] SOURCE Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc.