Our lead drug candidate, WBI-1001, is targeted as a topical cream treatment for autoimmune/inflammatory skin diseases, such as psoriasis and topical dermatitis (a type of eczema).

Eczema is a term used to describe a range of persistent or recurring skin rashes characterized by redness, edema, intense itching and dryness. It is the most common inflammatory skin condition in childhood, affecting 10-20% of infants and children and 2-6% of adults worldwide. Besides causing skin discomfort, bleeding, and infection, the disease has a serious impact on patients’ self esteem, mood and self-confidence, especially at a crucial time in a child's development. A study by the International Study of Life with Atopic Eczema on 2,002 patients and caregivers showed that 51% of patients were either always or sometimes unhappy or depressed. Although there is no current cure for eczema, many available treatments can ease or eliminate the symptoms associated with the illness.

The global market value for eczema treatment products was approximately $2.5 billion in 2005; the market size will surely grow since the prevalence of eczema in children has risen significantly over the past few decades. The most popular drugs in the market for eczema treatment are topical calcineurin inhibitors Elidel and Protopic. However, both brands have experienced steady decline in sales due to concerns over their potential carcinogenic risks; the FDA has issued warnings against their use on infants. Doctors and parents also express hesitation to treat children with any topical corticosteroid. These factors demonstrate the huge market potential and unmet need for a mild, topical, small molecule eczema treatment like WBI-1001. Clinical trials in China showed strong efficacy with low risk in using WBI-1001 to treat eczema patients in various age groups.

Welichem’s drug candidate, WBI-1001, has already completed formal preclinical trials and underwent phase IIa clinical trials against topical dermatitis in Canada.