OliX Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced positive headline results of a phase 2a trial in the treatment of hypertrophic scars which met the primary observer-based endpoint at week 24 as evaluated by the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS). The trial ascertained the effects of intradermal OLX10010, initiated 2 weeks after surgery and administered biweekly over 12 weeks versus placebo in adult patients with hypertrophic scars. This trial uses a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center, intrasubject trial design and continues until week 48 after surgery.

The data shows that 24 weeks after scar excision surgery relative to baseline, the biweekly intradermal administration of OLX10010, but not placebo, leads to significant improvement of hypertrophic scar appearance on both, the POSAS observer global score (p=.0017, 2-sided) and the POSAS observer total score (p=.029, 2-sided). There was no clear evidence for dose-dependent (2mg and 5mg) effects. Follow-up of participating patients up to 48 weeks post-surgery is ongoing.

The trial confirms the safety and tolerability of OLX10010 at both dose levels, with no safety issues identified. Also, no negative effects on wound-healing after surgery were observed. The absence of any safety concerns stimulates development of OLX10010 as monotherapy or in combination with other treatments for hypertrophic scars, a condition for which currently available treatments are deemed insufficient.