Joint poster with BACOBA on “Lefleuganan for treatment of chronic inflammatory skin conditions” presented by Jean-François Bisson at the annual meeting of the European Society for Dermatological Research (ESDR) in Heidelbeg (Germany) in September 2026.
Authors: M. Kemmler1, A.T. Zizzari1, M. Adams1, L. Magadoux2, L. Razafitrimo2, J.-F. Bisson2
Affiliations:
- 1 Bacoba AG. Einsiedlerstrasse 32, 8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland
- 2 ETAP-Lab, Département de Dermatologie, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France
Abstract:
Chronic inflammatory skin conditions are difficult to cure, long-lasting disorders causing persistent symptoms like itching, redness, and pain. They are primarily driven by a self-sustaining loop of inflammation generated by overactive T-cells – the type of T-cell involved often determining the type of skin condition. Lefleuganan is a clinical stage compound acting via a novel mode of action to achieve immune cell silencing to target overactive T-cells in an unprecedented way. The purpose of this study was to validate the treatment effect of topical Lefleuganan in translational models for chronic inflammatory skin conditions driven by different T cell sub-populations. With a focus on the Th1/Th17 axis, a model of imiquimod-induced psoriasis was selected together with a model of DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis representing Th2 type inflammation. In both models, BALB/c mice were treated for 7 days with topical Lefleuganan (as its formulation BAP5191) at concentrations between 0.03% and 1.0% together with active corticosteroid comparators (Clobetasol and Betamethasone) and controls. While all formulations showed beneficial effects, particularly the higher doses of 0.3% and especially 1.0% Lefleuganan demonstrated significant therapeutic benefits across clinical, behavioral and biological parameters that were comparable with the effects of reference treatments but without the corticosteroid associated side effects like skin atrophy or weight loss. Lefleuganan treatment effectively reduced clinical PASI scores (psoriasis) and ADASI scores (atopic dermatitis), improved skin barrier integrity (as indicated by lower TEWL), normalized key inflammatory markers like IL-17 and IL-6, and improved microscopic skin pathology findings. Behavioral assessments—including licking, scratching, rearing, and locomotion—further supported their efficacy. All Lefleuganan formulations were very well tolerated and could become promising new treatments for chronic inflammatory skin conditions.
