HB4208 Rare Disease Program
Rare diseases are classified in the United States as those afflicting fewer than 200,000 individuals. Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP) is a rare inherited skin disorder characterized by hypersensitivity to the sun and ultraviolet (UV) rays. Individuals with XP are highly susceptible to DNA damage caused by UV light due to either lack of the normal repair mechanism or defective repair pathways to manage the damage. XP is a devastating disease for which there is no known cure and that significantly impacts both quality of life and life expectancy.
Helix BioMedix is developing HB4208 for treatment of the rare disease Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP). HB4208 is a polypeptide DNA Damage Response (DDR) enzyme that is based on cellular repair pathways. In early proof of concept work, the first-generation DDR enzyme demonstrated positive results to modulate UV-induced DNA damage and reduce skin lesions in an animal model. HB4208 is currently in preclinical development.