KYO Pharma (NASDAQ:OKYO) reported new exploratory Phase 2a findings for its lead candidate, urcosimod (0.05%), demonstrating that the topical therapy significantly improves the quality of life (QoL) for patients suffering from neuropathic corneal pain (NCP).
The randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled study focused on patient-reported outcomes over a 12-week treatment period, revealing holistic benefits beyond simple pain reduction.
In a subset of 12 patients (6 urcosimod, 6 placebo), those treated with urcosimod showed a mean improvement of -4.5 in "enjoying life and relationships" on a 0–10 scale, compared to no change in the placebo group.
Mood scores improved by a mean of -1.5 for urcosimod versus -0.5 for placebo, and the time patients spent thinking about their eye pain decreased by a mean of -3.0, doubling the -1.5 improvement seen with the placebo.
These findings build on previous data where urcosimod achieved a 5.5-point reduction in pain severity and showed early signs of corneal nerve fiber restoration.
NCP is a debilitating chronic condition with no currently FDA-approved treatments, often leaving patients to rely on off-label medications with limited success.