Efficacy and safety of Oleogel-S10 (birch triterpenes) for epidermolysis bullosa: results from the phase III randomized double-blind phase of the EASE study.

The British journal of dermatology 2023 Jan 23

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Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a heterogeneous group of rare, difficult-to-treat, inherited multisystem diseases affecting epithelial integrity. Patients with EB are affected by mechanical fragility of epithelial surfaces including the skin and, as a result, extensive recurrent blistering is a characteristic of the condition. Chronic wounds predispose patients with EB to the development of squamous cell carcinoma, which is a major cause of premature death. EASE was a double-blind, randomized, vehicle-controlled, phase III study to determine the efficacy and safety of the topical gel Oleogel-S10 (birch triterpenes) in EB. EASE was funded by Amryt Research Limited. Patients with dystrophic EB, junctional EB or Kindler EB and a target partial-thickness wound lasting ≥ 21 days and < 9 months that was 10-50 cm2, were enrolled and randomized via computer-generated allocation tables 1 : 1 to Oleogel-S10 or control gel - both with standard-of-care dressings. Study gel was applied to all wounds at least every 4 days. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with first complete closure of target wound within 45 days. A total of 223 patients were enrolled and treated (109 treated with Oleogel-S10, 114 with control gel). The primary endpoint was met; Oleogel-S10 resulted in 41·3% of patients with first complete target wound closure within 45 days, compared with 28·9% in the control gel arm (relative risk 1·44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·01-2·05; P = 0·013). Adverse events (AEs) occurred with similar frequency for Oleogel-S10 (81·7%) compared with control gel (80·7%). AEs were predominantly of mild-to-moderate intensity (4·6% were severe). Oleogel-S10 is the first therapy to demonstrate accelerated wound healing in EB. Oleogel-S10 was well -tolerated. © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of British Association of Dermatologists.

Citation

Johannes S Kern, Eli Sprecher, Maria Florencia Fernandez, Franziska Schauer, Christine Bodemer, Tracy Cunningham, Sandra Löwe, Charles Davis, Mark Sumeray, Anna L Bruckner, Dédée F Murrell, EASE investigators. Efficacy and safety of Oleogel-S10 (birch triterpenes) for epidermolysis bullosa: results from the phase III randomized double-blind phase of the EASE study. The British journal of dermatology. 2023 Jan 23;188(1):12-21