Regenerative medicine company PharmaResearch said on the 23rd that it signed a license-in and supply agreement with biotech venture Connext for CNT201, a new drug candidate to treat cellulite.
Cellulite refers to a condition in which the skin surface appears bumpy due to structural changes in subcutaneous fat and connective tissue.
According to the company, CNT201 is a biopharmaceutical candidate expected to expand its treatment scope not only to cellulite but also to conditions such as Dupuytren contracture and Peyronie disease, in which fibrous tissue becomes abnormally thick or hardened.
Connext, which is developing this, has research and development capabilities and process technology based on recombinant proteins. It completed a phase 1 clinical trial with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year and is currently conducting phase 2.
Under the agreement, Connext will handle clinical development and manufacturing of CNT201, while PharmaResearch will be responsible for commercialization, distribution and sales, and branding of the candidate. PharmaResearch aims to use this to expand its business portfolio across both aesthetics and treatment.
A PharmaResearch official said, "Going forward, based on the research and development and global business capabilities PharmaResearch has accumulated in the regenerative medicine market, we will support CNT201's entry into cosmetic and therapeutic markets at home and abroad and provide treatment opportunities to patients in areas with limited therapeutic options."
Connext CEO Woo-Jong Lee said, "Because cellulite is an area that causes significant discomfort and stress from the patient (consumer) perspective, we will accelerate the development of a therapy with scientific evidence and clinical efficacy."