Celtaxsys announces phase 2 trial for oral acne vulgaris treatment

Celtaxsys announced it has received regulatory clearance to begin a phase 2 trial of its compound, CTX-4430, for the treatment of moderate-to-severe facial acne vulgaris.

The proof-of-concept study, to be conducted at 10 sites in Australia and New Zealand, will assess the efficacy and safety of 100 mg CTX-4430 administered orally once daily for 12 weeks, according to a company press release. The study’s primary outcome will be the effects on inflammatory lesion counts, according to the release. Researchers also will study the effects on noninflammatory lesion counts and Investigator’s Global Assessment.

“The need for innovative treatments for acne vulgaris is high, especially for anti-inflammatory treatments like CTX-4430 that are not based on antibiotic therapy or retinoids,” Sanjeev Ahuja, MD, MBA, FACP, chief medical officer of Celtaxsys, said in the release. “In addition, having a once daily oral treatment like CTX-4430 potentially provides improved convenience for patients, as well as an opportunity to treat the disease from the depths of the skin, where it starts.”

CTX-4430 is a novel small molecule inhibitor of leukotriene A4 hydrolase, the key enzyme in the production of leukotriene B4, the release stated.

Reference: www.celtaxsys.com.