SAN FRANCISCO, August 17, 2018 – PellePharm, a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to targeting rare dermatologic conditions at their source, was among the funders of a study published recently in JCI Insight, revealing that individuals having multiple incidences of a common skin cancer, known as basal cell carcinoma (BCC), have a higher inherited risk for developing internal cancers.
“Our team is now able to understand how genetic mutations responsible for repairing DNA damage are linked to basal cell carcinomas, and help physicians begin screening patients with six or more basal cell carcinomas before they develop another unrelated cancer,” said Jean Tang, M.D., Ph.D., co-founder, medical advisor and director of PellePharm.
Preliminary findings from the ten-year ongoing study, performed by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine, were published August 9, 2018 in JCI Insight. Researchers found that mutations in genes responsible for repairing DNA are linked to a threefold risk of unrelated cancers in people who develop six or more BCCs during a ten-year period.
“PellePharm is dedicated to improving the quality of life for those suffering from rare dermatological diseases, including Gorlin Syndrome, and through collaborations and support of research, we hope to do just that,” said Sanuj Ravindran, M.D., president and chief executive officer of PellePharm.
About High Frequency Basal Cell Carcinoma
High Frequency Basal Cell Carcinoma, like Gorlin Syndrome, is a rare disease which is characterized by the development of an abnormally high number of BCCs (three or more BCCs per year). Unlike patients with Gorlin Syndrome, patients with high frequency BCC are not born with a germline PTCH1 mutation and do not suffer from the other systemic manifestations of Gorlin Syndrome.
The standard of care for patients with high frequency BCC is surgery. Approximately 11,000 adults aged 18 to 64 suffer from high frequency BCC in the United States. In addition, approximately 33,000 adults over the age of 65+ are affected in the United States.
About PellePharm
Founded by world leaders in hedgehog pathway signaling, PellePharm is a biotechnology company committed to targeting hedgehog-driven diseases, including Gorlin Syndrome and Basal Cell Carcinomas (BCCs), at their source. PellePharm’s mission is to improve the quality of life for those suffering from Gorlin Syndrome and BCCs by providing an easy-to-use topical solution that eliminates the need for regular, painful surgeries. Topical patidegib is a first-in-class topical gel formulation of a proprietary hedgehog inhibitor.
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