Sol-Gel Technologies, Ltd. (SLGL) delivered some disappointing news Wednesday, announcing it's ending development of SGT-210 for Darier disease after the company's Phase 1b study came up empty. The vehicle-controlled proof-of-concept trial showed no meaningful difference between the actual drug and the placebo vehicle on efficacy measures.
For context, Darier's disease (also called keratosis follicularis) is a rare inherited skin condition that causes greasy, red-brown, bumpy growths called papules. These typically show up on oily areas of the body like the scalp, chest, and back. It's exactly the kind of unmet medical need that small biotech companies chase, but sometimes the science just doesn't pan out.
After unblinding the Phase 1b data, the results were clear enough that Sol-Gel made a quick decision. Mori Arkin, Executive Chairman of Sol-Gel, stated: "...we have therefore decided not to advance to the next stage of development in this indication. We intend to pursue very small, low-cost feasibility studies in other areas of unmet medical need where the mechanistic rationale for SGT-210 is strong."
The company isn't giving up entirely on SGT-210, though. They're keeping the door open for exploring other potential uses where the drug's mechanism might work better. But they're being smart about it, emphasizing "very small, low-cost" studies rather than burning through cash on ambitious programs.
Arkin added: "We continue to prioritize the successful completion of our Phase 3 program of SGT-610 in Gorlin syndrome and preparatory activities supporting a potential Phase 3 program in high-frequency BCC, subject to successful completion of the Gorlin Phase 3 trial."
That's the real story here. Sol-Gel is refocusing on its lead candidate, SGT-610, which is further along in development for Gorlin syndrome and potentially high-frequency basal cell carcinoma.










