Medicus Pharma, a biotech and life sciences company developing novel and disruptive therapeutics, has announced the enrolment of the first patient in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in its phase 2 study evaluating a non-invasive treatment for basal cell carcinoma (BCC).
The study, SKNJCT-004, is being conducted by SkinJet, a wholly owned subsidiary of Medicus Pharma dedicated to commercialising non-invasive treatments for basal cell skin cancer. The technology uses a patented dissolvable microneedle patch to deliver a chemotherapeutic agent directly through the skin.
The randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will enrol 36 patients with cutaneous BCC across six sites. Its primary aim is to assess the efficacy and safety of SkinJet’s transdermal patches containing doxorubicin-loaded microneedle arrays (D-MNA) at two dosage levels compared with a placebo. Patients will be randomised into one of three groups: a placebo-controlled group receiving P-MNA, a low-dose group receiving 100μg D-MNA, and a high-dose group receiving 200μg D-MNA.
A previous phase 1 safety and tolerability study conducted at the higher dosage demonstrated clinically meaningful efficacy results.
A parallel phase 2 trial (SKNJCT-003) is also underway in the US, having commenced in August 2024. Interim results have shown statistically significant positive trends, leading to regulatory approval to increase enrolment from 60 to 90 patients.
“Treating our first BCC patient at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is an important milestone in expanding our clinical study beyond the shores of US”, said Dr Raza Bokhari, Medicus’s Executive Chairman and CEO. “Non-melanoma skin diseases, especially BCC, are not just an American problem but a global challenge that we believe represents more than $2bn in potential market opportunity”.