DÜSSELDORF, Germany, March 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pioneering biopharmaceutical company CLINUVEL yesterday hosted a wide-ranging market briefing discussing its novel drug SCENESSE^® (afamelanotide) and the future of photomedicine.

Over 70 guests discussed the Company’s unique history and future growth potential at an invitation-only event in Düsseldorf. Managing Director and CEO, Dr Philippe Wolgen shared the Company’s success in establishing profitability over the past seven financial years, building a strong balance sheet, commercialising the innovative melanocortin drug SCENESSE^®, and plans to bring melanocortin technology to wider audiences with unmet needs.

CLINUVEL is now investing heavily in R&D with an ambitious clinical pipeline, including a phase III clinical trial for the pigment loss disorder vitiligo. A case study presented at the American Academy of Dermatology Meeting on 9 March highlighted the systemic repigmentation of the skin of a female patient from the combination of SCENESSE^® and phototherapy (light treatment). An estimated 45m individuals live with vitiligo globally, with no effective treatments for widespread depigmentation.

The Company’s aspirations stretch beyond the clinical, with Dr Wolgen expanding upon the goal of making CLINUVEL a household name with the introduction of its PhotoCosmetics lines, incorporating novel melanocortin peptides. The consumer skincare lines are translating the Company’s targeted science into innovative products for the wider population. The lines were introduced to key US investors and celebrities during an intimate event at the home of Lady Gaga and longtime shareholder Michael Polansky in Malibu last month, resulting in positive feedback, a new international audience and anticipation for launch.   

“The potential of CLINUVEL to translate its expertise in melanocortins to address unmet needs in a range of conditions and as PhotoCosmetics underlies the future potential of the Company,” Dr Wolgen said. “German investors have been pivotal in supporting our work thus far and we hope to share our success with the wider investment community.” 

About The CLINUVEL Group:

CLINUVEL is a public biopharmaceutical company whose pioneering melanocortin technology has revolutionised the field of photomedicine. Over the last 25 years, CLINUVEL’s work has furthered scientific knowledge, delivered breakthroughs in medical technology and transformed patients’ lives. The Company has developed and commercialised SCENESSE^® (afamelanotide), the only approved treatment in the world for the prevention of phototoxicity in adult patients with EPP. The treatment was approved for use by the US FDA in 2019 and is also approved for commercial distribution in Europe, Israel and Australia. CLINUVEL is conducting clinical trials to assess the efficacy and safety of its melanocortin technology in treating severe disorders including xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), vitiligo and arterial ischemic stroke. In 2023 it announced its expansion into skincare with the introduction of its first PhotoCosmetic product CYACÊLLE, a polychromatic solar screen.