InnoHealth Group is a private company, located at scientific park of Madrid (Spain) focused on the rational development (scientific-based approach) of new and more effective therapeutic solutions to dermatological diseases. Over the last years, the company has focused its efforts in the development of a patented cell biology platform (EP16154837) that will allow us to develop novel, specific and effective products for addressing dermatological diseases and to become a leading player of the therapeutic dermatology and skin care markets segments.
Our platform is the only one in the market that integrates novel bioinformatic tools (in silico) based on cellular proteome/kinome data (SkinSim and INCOS) and in vitro assays (SimDerma) for the rational design and development of new dermatological formulations (see image attached).
The combined use of these tools in the platform allows us to identify the molecular and cellular targets involved in complex skin diseases, testing specific active ingredients for these targets and obtaining the combinations with the highest synergistic activity to develop the final formulation. This makes our platform a key enabling technology for the development of new dermatological products to address skin diseases, even for those ones without a known efficient therapeutic solution because of the complexity in the cellular and biochemical damages underlying the specific disease. The figure above shows how our technology works towards this ultimate goal.
In this project, we seek demonstrating the potential of our platform by its use in the development of the first effective dermatological solution for radiodermatitis, a severe skin condition that affects cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, which remains an unsolved clinical problem. Our major goal is to prevent X-Ray-induced skin damages thus allowing the completion of the radiation cycle. Next, we summarize the SkinXCare opportunity.
WHY IS SKINXCARE A CLEAR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY?
Radiodermatitis is the most common side effect of radiotherapy. This undesired side effect is a severe skin condition that can range from a mild, red rash (erythema) and itchy, peeling or flaking skin (dry desquamation) to a more severe reaction with blisters and wet, peeling skin (moist desquamation). In terms of incidence, it is estimated that approximately 85-87% of cancer patients receiving radiotherapy experience a moderate to severe skin reaction of which 10-15% progress to moist desquamation. Two major consequences are caused by these undesired side effects: a) the quality of life of cancer patients is negatively affected to a high extent and b) these side effects too often limit the radiotherapy program duration and intensity, challenging the effectiveness of cancer treatment. It is therefore essential to minimize skin damages as much as possible. However, nowadays there is a lack of efficient skin care interventions for radiodermatitis, but only some guidelines for their clinical management based on recommendations given to patients2 (continuous washing and skin hydration, avoidance of perfumes, gels, soaps or creams not prescribed by the oncologist, etc.), which are completely insufficient.
Considering the lack of solutions to address this severe skin condition and the fact that 50-60% of all cancer patients receive radiation therapy (more than 7million people initiating a radiotherapy program each year around the world ), the SkinXCare opportunity seems unquestionable.
HOW DO WE INTEND TO EMBRACE THIS OPPORTUNITY?
The first question we must answer is why there is not a single skin care product in the market for effectively addressing radiodermatitis, to help reducing its progression and severity along a radiotherapy regimen. The answer to this question is because of the complexity of the cellular biology mechanisms involved in the skin damages caused by ionizing radiation that include at least: DNA damage, oxidative stress, inflammation and cytotoxicity. This complexity challenges the development of effective solutions because many cellular and molecular targets are involved and so the therapeutic solution must be designed upon the identification of all of them and the formulation of a product combining active ingredients with biological activity in each of these targets. Currently all solutions have failed because the cellular and molecular targets underlying radiodermatitis are still not well-identified and so the few market available products don´t consider the complexity of the disease mechanisms, but only partial approaches.
In the SkinXCare project we will be able to develop the first effective dermatological therapy for patients under a radiotherapy regimen, capable of preventing radiodermatitis intensity progression and alleviating the symptoms. This will be possible thanks to our platform that will allow identifying all the cellular and molecular targets involved in the disease and the development of a range of dermatological products for the effective management of radiodermatitis, based on combinations of active ingredients acting synergistically on these targets. Thanks to the uniqueness of the solution proposed in the SkinXCare project, we seek becoming a leading player of therapeutic dermatology market. This market segment was valued at €24.5 billion on 2015 and is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 6.7% until 2025, key figures that further sustain the SkinXCare business opportunity.
SKINXCARE PHASE 1 PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
The ultimate objective of this Phase 1 project was to assess the feasibility of our business innovation project, with a major focus on its technical and commercial feasibility, so to enter the next stages of our innovation project SkinXCare under a minimum risks scenario. Therefore, the specific objectives for the action were as follow:
Definition of the parameters to optimize in our platform for turning it up into a TRL9 for the development of the SkinXCare product (full technological readiness for this specific purpose).
a) To build up a 2 years’ work plan for platform optimization, product development and clinical validation of its efficiency. This work plan should describe the tasks, timing, key milestones, risks analysis.
b) To determine the regulatory situation in EU and the US for commercialization of SkinXCare product and the regulatory requirements (if any), so to consider them in our plan to reach the market.
c) To perform a patentability analysis and determine our freedom to operate regarding the SkinXCare formulation.
d) To assess the best go-to-market strategy and to define a plan for commercialization, enabling the identification of the key stakeholders to get involved.
