Marlborough-based RXi Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, has initiated a third phase-2 study if its anti-scarring drug RXI-109.
The study will measure RXI-109’s effectiveness in reducing hypertrophic scars after elective scar revision surgery. Patients will be followed for nine months after receiving treatment for a portion of their scars.
Independent reviews will determine the effectiveness of the treatment in preventing scarring, compared with the untreated portion of the scars.
RXi describes hypertrophic scars as abnormal scars that are raised above the skin surface and be reddened or darker than the existing skin tone. The incidence of such scarring following surgery is at least 40 percent in the general populations, and up to 70 percent in certain Asian population, according to the company.
“This is another step forward to bringing our … technology closer to market. We are very excited by everything we have been able to achieve with our compounds thus far,” CEO Geert Cauwenbergh said in a statement.
RXi in May announced the successful completion of a phase 1 study, which tested RXI-109 in monkeys.
