Aslan Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: ASLN) shares jumped on Monday after the firm announced positive preliminary data from the lowest dose cohort of its ongoing multiple ascending dose study of ASLAN004 for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis.

For this preliminary data, the firm reviewed unclean blinded data, including the Eczema Area and Severity Index scores of the three patients that have completed at least one month of dosing. The scores were reduced by 85%, 70% and 59% from baseline, and they continued to fall at four weeks, with maximal efficacy expected at six to eight weeks.

The data monitoring committee (DMC) will meet in late December, after which the second dose cohort is expected to open. The study will recruit up to 50 moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis patients, and study completion is expected in the second half of 2020, with interim results expected in early 2020.

It’s worth pointing out that atopic dermatitis is the most common dermatological disease, affecting over 200 million patients worldwide, characterized by red inflamed skin and severe daytime and night-time itching, which can severely affect patients’ quality of life. Up to one-third of adult atopic dermatitis patients are considered moderate to severe, for which currently available therapeutics are limited and management is challenging in the majority of cases.

Dr. Mark McHale, head of R&D, Aslan Pharmaceuticals, commented:

We are pleased to report encouraging preliminary data from this study of ASLAN004. Whilst the data remains early, we had not anticipated to observe such pronounced improvements in patients enrolled into the lowest dose cohort. We look forward to the second dose cohort opening following the DMC meeting in December and further interim data in early 2020.

Shares of Aslan were last seen up nearly 70% at $6.49, in a 52-week range of $0.35 to $7.07. The consensus price target is $2.33.

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