Topical Alpha-Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone: a powerful Anti-Inflammatory pharmaceutical composition for use in established Allergic Contact Dermatitis

Applications: A novel and powerful anti-inflammatory topical pharmaceutical composition and treatment for many forms of inflammatory skin disorders including contact dermatitis.

The global atopic dermatitis market is heavily fragmented with numerous generic products at relatively low prices. The global atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis therapeutics market was valued at $643m in 2009. It is expected to grow to $810m at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 3.4% by 2016. This growth is primarily attributed to an increase in competition among existing products and the presence of a strong pipeline with more emerging therapies. At the present time no agents are available to address the biochemical basis of this hypersensitive inflammatory disorder. A neuro peptide -melanocyte stimulating hormone (-MSH) has been shown to exhibit an array of immunosuppressive activities in vitro which suggests that it may have significant therapeutic effects on inflammatory skin diseases in vivo if delivered effectively into the skin. This invention involves the specific use of (α-MSH) in a novel and specific pharmaceutical composition prepared for the topical treatment of allergic contact dermatitis and other inflammatory skin disorders in humans. The incipients in this formulation are commonly used for topical preparations of dermatological agents, but not in the specific and proprietary combinations of this invention.

α-MSH is an endogenous biopeptide that has been reported to exert a variety of potent anti-inflammatory properties in many organ systems including the skin. Studies conducted demonstrate that both systemic and local delivery of α-MSH has been shown to suppress cutaneous inflammation in multiple trials.

A widely accepted murine hypersensitivity model for allergic dermatitis was used to demonstrate that a specific formulation of -MSH effectively penetrated intact rodent skin and alleviated established allergic contact dermatitis in vivo. This topical treatment was as effective as a topically applied tacrolimus ointment (Protopic®) and potent topical coricosteroids. The use of a-MSH as an alternative therapeutic option for cutaneous inflammation is desirable where adverse effect of topical coricosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors may limit clinical use.

Patent Pending

Available for Exclusive Licensing

09-28 Armstrong

none noted by the inventor

File Number: 09-28 

Web site: http://www.uams.edu/bioventures

Disease: Dermatology

Other Information:

The global atopic dermatitis and contact dermatitis therapeutics market was valued at $643m in 2009.