Benzinga | Jan 20, 2021 08:39AM EST

Hoth Therapeutics Initial Mechanism Of Action Data For HT-003 In Pursuit For Acne Treatment Indication

NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hoth Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:HOTH), a biopharmaceutical company, today announced new in vitro data demonstrating the therapeutic potential of HT-003 to block acne pathogenic gene expression in human keratinocytes, the major cell type of the epidermis and the outermost of the layers of the skin.

Dr. Jonathan Zippin, M.D., Ph.D., FAAD, Associate Professor of Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medicine and Hoth Senior Scientific Advisor, is lead on the study. "Thanks to Dr. Zippin and his team, we have gained significant insight for the therapeutic potential of HT-003 for the treatment of acne," stated Stefanie Johns, Chief Scientific Officer of Hoth Therapeutics

Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is one of the most critical pathways for acne pathophysiology. The data generated from this series of in vitro experiments shows that TLR2 is significantly inhibited by HT-003, including in the presence of TLR2 agonists. Baseline expression of TLR2 and a critical transcription factor for skin inflammation (NF-KB) are inhibited by HT-003.

"The ability of HT-003 to potently inhibit TLR2 signaling pathway suggests that this drug will not only be effective for acne but may also help a broad range of patients suffering from disease driven by overactive inflammatory responses to bacteria," stated Dr. Zippin.

Dr. Zippin will continue to investigate the therapeutic mechanism of action of HT-003 through in vitro dose-response analyses and in animal models.