Palatin Technologies, Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:PTN) announced on Wednesday last week that it has resumed the enrollment of patients in its phase 2 trial of PL9643 as a treatment for dry eye disease.
The company was proud to announce the relaunch of the patient enrollment in the phase 2 trial after previously pausing the recruitment due to the coronavirus outbreak. PL9643 is Palatin’s pipeline treatment for dry eye disease. The company expects to reach the target number of patients enrolled in the study within 30 to 45 days. It also expects to release the data from the study in Q4 2020.
“We are very happy to resume patient recruitment in this Phase 2 study of PL9643 exploring treatment of both the signs of eye damage and the physical symptoms experienced by patients with dry eye disease,” stated Palatin CEO, Carl Spana.
Palatin will conduct PL9643’s phase 2 clinical study at multiple health centers. It will also be a double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled study that will seek to evaluate the treatment’s safety and efficacy. PL9643 is an ophthalmic solution that will be administered as topical eye drops. Palatin expects to enroll up to 150 patients who will be treated at three locations in the U.S.
The patients that will participate in the clinical trial will be divided into two groups in a 1:1 ratio. The ones that will be treated with PL9643 and the ones that will receive the placebo. The patients will participate in the clinical trial for 12 weeks, during which they will receive the treatment.
Palatin is optimistic about the results from the phase 2 clinical trial will be favorable, notably since previous research indicated that PL9643 has some properties that can combat dry eye disease. However, that will all be determined through the clinical trial, and the good thing is that the results will be out before the end of the year. If the results are favorable, they will facilitate the push towards further research with the eventual goal of bringing the treatment to the market so that it can provide therapeutic relief to dry eye relief.
