Sienna Biopharmaceuticals has acquired U.K.-based speciality pharmaceuticals company, Creabilis, which is developing a portfolio of clinical and preclinical topical candidates for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions. Under the terms of the deal, Sienna will make a undisclosed, upfront cash and stock-based payment to Creabilis, and potentially in excess of $150 million in future regulatory and commercial-dependent milestones.

Creabilis has applied its low systemic exposure (LSE) Topical by Design technology platform to develop a Phase IIb-stage topical tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA) inhibitor, SNA-120 (formerly CT327), for the treatment of pruritus and psoriasis. In addition, a topical TrkA/janus kinase 3 (JAK3) inhibitor, SNA-125 (previously CT340), is in late-stage preclinical development for the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions, including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and pruritus. Other Creabilis preclinical candidates have been developed with support from a European Union Seventh Framework for Research (FP7) grant.

Sienna is a medical dermatology and aesthetics company focused on the discovery and development of targeted therapies for indications, including inflammatory skin conditions. The firm maintains that the Creabilis acquisition will expand and diversify its existing pipeline. “The acquisition of Creabilis is transformative,” commented Sienna president and CEO Frederick C Beddingfield III, M.D., Ph.D. “Both the TrkA and TrkA/JAK3 programs offer the potential of highly differentiated topical treatments for inflammatory skin diseases and pruritus. Furthermore, the addition of the groundbreaking Topical by Design technology will allow Sienna to discover and develop innovative new drug candidates for areas of high unmet need in dermatology.”

In July, Sienna completed a $46 million Series A financing round with new and existing investors.
 

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