Soligenix Reports Significant Results for SGX302 in Psoriasis Trial

Soligenix announced extended results of its ongoing Phase 2a trial of SGX302, or synthetic hypericin, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate psoriasis. In this extension, or Cohort 3, of the exploratory phase of the study, an additional four patients were enrolled and treated with an improved topical gel formulation of synthetic hypericin. The Cohort 3 patients were treated for the same 18-week period as Cohorts 1 and 2, but utilized an optimized gel formulation of synthetic hypericin. The gel formulation was specifically designed to improve ease of application to larger areas of the skin. SGX302 gel therapy was well tolerated by all patients with no drug related adverse events identified. On average over the three evaluable patients, there were improvements in the Investigator Global Assessment, or IGA, the Psoriasis Activity and Severity Index, or PASI, the simplified psoriasis index, the dermatology life quality index and the Skindex-29 questionnaire. One patient achieved a disease status of "Almost Clear" using the IGA, which is considered a standard clinical measure for treatment success in psoriasis, with a substantial improvement in their PASI score, exceeding 50%. These outcomes were very similar to or improved relative to those obtained with the previous ointment formulation, as expected given the comparable release characteristics of the two formulations and the enhanced ease of application of the gel. In totality, the initial exploratory phase of the study has confirmed that SGX302 improves psoriasis lesions, consistent with the general success of photodynamic therapies in psoriasis, and is well tolerated, potentially providing a non-carcinogenic, non-mutagenic treatment for the thicker lesions found in psoriasis.