NFlection Looks to Erase NF1 Tumors With Drug That Only Goes Skin Deep

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Biotech startup NFlection Therapeutics is vying to be runner-up, but its founders say they can eventually win out with a drug that takes a different approach than the commercialized pill while also offering a safer and more effective way of addressing the tumors and skin bumps caused by the rare disease. CEO Christopher Powala says that unlike oral drugs that travel throughout the body and spark a range of side effects along the way, this gel delivers its therapeutic benefits directly to the skin. We feel very confident we won’t have the issues associated with oral MEK inhibitors.” NFlection recently unveiled a $20 million Series A round of investment from venBio Partners and F-Prime Capital. The gel, intended for once daily application, is designed to penetrate the outer layer of skin and reach nerve cells over a span of 24 hours, then stay there in high concentrations—“much higher than you would get from oral administration,” he says. Surgery and laser treatments are options for birthmark removal, but he says the NFlection drug could offer patients a way to address disfiguring marks without the risk of scarring or other complications.

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