Topical pan-lysyl oxidase inhibitor studied for mature scars
- John Evans
- Sep 12
- 1 min read
Findings from a Phase 1 study of a topical pan-lysyl oxidase inhibitor as a treatment for mature scars show the medication was well tolerated and improved some measures of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the studied scars.
In the paper, published in Science Translational Medicine, the authors state that their findings support advancing this potential treatment to Phase 2 trials.
The researchers note that lysyl oxidases catalyze collagen cross-linking, a key factor in scar development.
They conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1 study to assess the safety and tolerability of PXS-6302, a topical pan–lysyl oxidase inhibitor, in treating mature scars.
Investigators enrolled 50 participants across two cohorts. Cohort 1 (open label, n=8) applied PXS-6302 (2%) daily, and cohort 2 (n=42) was randomized 1:1 to apply PXS-6302 (2%) or placebo three times per week to a 10-square-centimetre area of scar for three months.
No severe adverse events (AEs) were reported. Mild to moderate localized skin reactions were the only treatment-related AEs and led to discontinuation by six participants.
Treatment with PXS-6302 three times per week reduced lysyl oxidase activity by 66% and decreased hydroxyproline—a marker for collagen—and total protein concentrations in scar biopsies compared with placebo. Optical coherence tomography showed increased microvessel density and tissue attenuation—a marker of extracellular matrix (ECM) composition—at three months compared with the baseline, which researchers say suggests ECM remodelling toward unscarred skin architecture.
The investigators observed no significant differences in Patient Observer Scar Assessment Scale scores between groups after 90 days of treatment, once baseline imbalances were accounted for.