NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – RXi Pharmaceuticals this week announced the start of a Phase IIa trial of its siRNA-based anti-scarring drug RXI-109 for the prevention of keloid recurrence.
RXI-109 comprises siRNAs designed to inhibit connective tissue growth factor, or CTGF, a protein linked to wound healing and other fibrotic processes. It employs the company's proprietary self-delivering technology, which enables cellular uptake without the need for a delivery vehicle.
In the placebo-controlled Phase IIa study, patients with two keloids — a type of scar composed primarily of collagen — of similar size and location are selected for keloidectomy. After the procedure, the lesions will be closed, and one will be treated with RXI-109. Patients will be followed for six months to evaluate the clinical evolution of the lesions.
This latest study follows the initiation of an ongoing Phase IIa trial of RXI-109 in patients with pre-existing hypertrophic scars. These patients undergo scar-revision surgery, after which one end of the scar is treated and the other end receives placebo.