Fluence Therapeutics Inc.

We are a spinoff of University Hospitals Case Medical Center commercializing photodynamic therapy for the treatment of psoriasis and other skin diseases.  Researchers at University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University have over many years developed, patented and conducted Phase I clinical trials on a photosensitizer known as Pc 4.  Pc 4 is a silicon phthalocyanine which, when excited by visible light, attacks tumor cells, abnormal vasculature, and other lipophilic sites and has a number of advantages over other photosensitizers.  

The only photosensitizers currently approved for the treatment of skin lesions are not technically photosensitizers; rather they are converted in tissue into the natural photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX.  The conversion into protoporphyrin IX requires several hours and occurs in undesired tissues, such as nerve.  Pc 4 is a photosensitizer and does not require conversion from a precursor.  It is available for activation as soon as it reaches the desired site in skin.  Pc 4 causes minimal  discomfort or scarring.  Pc 4 uses red light, which absorbs deeper into the skin and is less harmful than blue light.  Pc 4 has at least an order of magnitude higher photosensitivity than protoporphyrin IX, permitting the use of less photosensitizer and thus reducing both toxicity and cost.  The interval between topical drug application and light is shorter than for other topical preparations.  Pc 4 is highly visible under spectroscopic analysis, which will facilitate the use of proprietary devices to measure the penetration of Pc 4 into lesions and to confirm when it has been activated. 

There is no good solution for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in the market.  Topical and light based therapies currently on the market have shown less than optimal efficacy and/or unwanted side effects.  Therapies which use UV light alone and PUVA (which uses UV light in combination with a pharmaceutical) have side effects (e.g., photoaging and increased risk of skin cancers including melanoma).  Biologicals have shown good efficacy; however, they suppress the immune system and  show an increased rate of cancers and infections; they have other side effects and are contraindicated in a number of cases; and they are very costly.