Indero Announces Breakthrough Method for Evaluation of Topical Drugs Using Gene Expression

Indero is proud to announce the successful completion of an internally funded study that introduces a novel approach to evaluating topical new chemical entities (NCE) in early-phase clinical research. This innovative method leverages quantitative gene expression analysis to assess drug efficacy rapidly and cost effectively.

Dr. Robert Bissonnette, Executive Chairman and Founder of Indero, who initiated and led the study, shared his excitement about the results:

“Our goal was to rethink how to study topical drugs in early phase studies. The results of this study demonstrate [SL1] that microdosing for only 3 days[SL2]  can provide meaningful efficacy signals. Within just 24 hours, we observed alterations in gene expression after applying a microdose of mid-potency corticosteroid on the skin of patients. By 72 hours, Th2, Th22 and Th17-specific biomarkers were significantly reduced. This outcome is exactly what we hoped for and opens the door to faster, smarter drug development strategies, demonstrating the potential for this method to be used effectively in early phase 1 studies.” The study highlights several advantages of this approach:

• Rapid efficacy insights with limited preclinical toxicology requirements and reduced phase 1 costs (3-day study vs. 8–12 weeks).
• Ability to compare multiple NCEs, concentrations, and vehicles within the same patient in short-duration studies.
• Opportunity to benchmark NCEs against approved topical drugs efficiently.

Emma Guttman, Professor and Chair of Dermatology at Mount Sinai, who performed gene expression analysis, emphasized its impact:

“This strategy represents a paradigm shift in topical drug development. It allows physicians and researchers to accelerate innovation while minimizing patient exposure and resource use. The implications for both industry and patients are tremendous,” said Emma Guttman-Yassky, MD, PhD, Waldman Professor and System Chair, Department of Dermatology and Director, Asness Family Center of Excellence in Eczema and Allergic Conditions, and Director, Laboratory of Inflammatory Skin Diseases, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.