The ASCEND Study: Evaluating TMB-001 in the Treatment of RXLI or ARCI Ichthyosis

This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled Phase III study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TMB-001 0.05% topical ointment in the treatment of CI. Subjects will be selected according to predefined entry criteria. The study treatment duration is 24 weeks and expected to be sufficient to show a treatment effect.

Isotretinoin is an approved active pharmacological ingredient with a long history of safe use in humans. However, isotretinoin is a known teratogen with an extremely high risk for severe birth defects if pregnancy occur while taking oral isotretinoin in any amount, even for a short period of time. Therefore oral, systemic isotretinoin requires an iPLEDGE program (iPLEDGE 2012), which is a risk management distribution program mandated by the FDA. To minimize pregnancy risks, women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) will only be enrolled if they agree to use highly effective methods of contraception consistently and correctly and undergo regular pregnancy testing.

To minimize bias, subjects will be blinded and randomly assigned to treatment with TMB-001 0.05% or Vehicle, additionally subjects who had previously been treated with TMB 001 will be excluded from this study but can be enrolled in the optional Maximal Use arm (in a subset of preselected centers). The use of a vehicle control group is consistent with FDA's standard for generating valid scientific evidence to definitively support safety and efficacy. The vehicle group accounts for the effects of treatment that do not depend on the test treatment. The study is designed to mitigate safety risks by using an initial 2:1 randomization (active treatment to vehicle), along with frequent clinic visits over the 12-week treatment period. The subsequent 1:1 randomization of eligible TMB-001 0.05% treated subjects to two dosing regimen (QD or BID) allows for assessment of the optimal TMB-001 0.05% maintenance therapy as well as provides additional safety data for 12 weeks. The cross-over of eligible subjects from the vehicle control group will also provide additional safety data.

Overall, the study design is considered to be scientifically robust and clinically relevant for evaluating TMB-001 0.05% treatment for the safe and effective treatment of CI.

Inclusion criteria

• Subject is male or female, 6 years of age and older at Visit 2 (Baseline).
• Subject has provided written informed consent/assent. A subject under 18 years of age must provide written informed assent and be accompanied by the parent or legal guardian at the time of consent/assent signing. The parent or legal guardian must provide informed consent for the subject. If a subject becomes 18 years of age during the study, the subject must provide written informed consent at that time to continue study participation.
• Females must be postmenopausal (defined as amenorrhea greater than 12 consecutive months in women 50 years of age and older), surgically sterile (hysterectomy, bilateral salpingectomy, or bilateral oophorectomy), or use 2 acceptable forms of birth control. WOCBP must have a negative serum pregnancy test at screening and negative urine pregnancy test (UPT) at Visit 2 (Baseline) (UPTs must have a minimum sensitivity to detect 25 mIU beta human chorionic gonadotropin [β hCG]/mL). Female subjects who become sexually active or begin to have relations with a partner during the study must agree to use 2 forms of birth control for 30 days prior to having relations and to continue such forms of birth control for the duration of the study.
• Subject has clinical diagnosis of CI and has a genetic confirmation of either ARCI (including but not exclusively transglutaminase 1-deficient, ALOX-12B) or RXLI (e.g., deletion of steroid sulfatase gene) subtypes of CI. Other genetically confirmed ARCI-LI mutations can potentially be enrolled as long as the phenotype is consistent with ARCI and the other inclusion criteria are met, as determined by the Investigator.
• The amount of CI affected skin in the Treatment Area at Baseline will be between a minimum of 10% and maximum of 90% of the total BSA (1% BSA is approximately equal to the surface area of the subject's palm and fingers, with the fingers extended yet grouped together, creating a flat oval-like surface area).

• For the Optional Maximal Use arm: The amount of CI affected skin in the Treatment Area at Baseline will be between a minimum of 75% and maximum of 90% of the total BSA.
• Documented history of moderate to severe disease at Screening. Subject's designated VIIS Assessment Areas at Baseline (not applicable for Optional Maximal Use arm):

• Include any of the 4 VIIS Assessment Areas that have some CI disease involving: (a) the upper back from the posterior axillary fold to the other encompassing the T1-T10, (b) the upper arm (excluding elbows), left or right, (c) the shin/lower leg (the portion below the proximal aspect of the kneecap), left or right, and (d) dorsal foot (left or right); AND
• At least 2 of the 4 VIIS Assessment Areas MUST have a scaling score of 3 or more.
• Subject's IGA score in the Treatment Area at Baseline must be 3 or more.
• Subject and parent/guardian (if applicable) are willing and able to apply the study treatment(s) as directed, comply with study instructions, and commit to all follow-up visits for the duration of the study.
• Subject, in the Investigator's opinion, is in good general health and free of any disease state or physical condition that might impair evaluation of the Treatment Areas or exposes the subject to an unacceptable risk by study participation.

Exclusion criteria

• Subject is pregnant, lactating, or is planning to become pregnant during the study.
• Subject has inflammatory skin diseases that confound the interpretation of results (e.g., atopic dermatitis) unrelated to ichthyosis.
• Subject has genetic abnormality consistent with non-lamellar type or syndromic ichthyoses (including but not exclusively KRT1, KRT10, KRT2, GJB3, GJB4, CDSN)
• Subject, in the Treatment Areas, has used: (a) any topical prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) therapies (except emollients, keratolytics, and topical steroids - see below), that are intended for, or that in the opinion of the Investigator, may improve CI within 2 weeks of Visit 2 (Baseline), or (b) keratolytics or topical corticosteroids within 5 days prior to Visit 2 (Baseline).
• Subject, in the Treatment Areas, has used TMB-001 in the past or oral isotretinoin in the past 12 months (not applicable for Optional Maximal Use arm).
• Subject has used any topical products in the Treatment Areas, including bland emollients, on Visit 2 (Baseline).
• Subject has used ultraviolet (UV) treatment within 4 weeks prior to Visit 2 (Baseline).
• Subject has undergone systemic therapies using vitamin A supplements or St. John's Wort within 4 weeks prior to Visit 2 (Baseline). Note: Use of a multivitamin including vitamin A is not exclusionary provided it is taken as directed on the packaging.
• Subject is immunosuppressed (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus, systemic malignancy, graft host disease) or receives systemic immunotherapy.
• Subject is currently taking concomitant immunosuppressive drugs, including systemic corticosteroids, within 2 weeks of Visit 2 (Baseline).
• Subject has untreated secondary infections; however, subject may become eligible after successful treatment of his/her infection(s) at the Investigator's discretion.
• Subject is currently enrolled in an investigational drug or device study or has used an investigational drug or investigational device treatment within 30 days or five half-lives prior to Visit 2 (Baseline).
• Subject has lesions suspicious for skin cancer (if skin cancer is not ruled out by biopsy) or untreated skin cancers within the Treatment Areas.
• Subject has a physical condition or other dermatologic disorder that, in the Investigator's opinion, might impair evaluation of CI, or that exposes the subject to unacceptable risk by study participation.
• Subjects with ALT or AST >2 x Upper Limit of Normal (ULN) and/or creatinine >1.5 x ULN.
• Subject is unable to communicate or cooperate with the Investigator due to language problems, impaired cerebral function, or physical limitations.
• Subject has a history of drug or alcohol abuse within the past 6 months, or if suspected to be noncompliant or is unlikely to comply with the requirements of the study protocol (e.g., due to alcoholism, drug dependency, mental incapacity) in the opinion of the Investigator.
• Subject has a history of sensitivity to any of the ingredients in the study treatments.