AOBiome today announced it has begun a Phase 2 clinical trial with a therapeutic product candidate based on its proprietary ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) for the treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris. The trial with the product candidate, B244, is being conducted under an IND application to the FDA and is the first to test the potential of live bacteria to treat skin disease.
”B244 is classified as a ‘live-topical’, a brand new class of therapeutics to address skin diseases that capitalize on advances in understanding of the skin microbiome and the role of AOB’s play in restoring skin health,” said Spiros Jamas, ScD, AOBiome’s CEO. “This initial clinical trial builds on preclinical studies demonstrating B244’s antibacterial activity and suggesting that B244 acts through multiple mechanisms thereby reducing levels of bacteria linked to acne, and reducing inflammation. The acne trial is the first of several indications we expect to pursue with B244 across a variety of skin disorders.