Biopharmaceutical company Hoth Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:HOTH) stated on Friday that it plans to acquire the rights to VNLG-152 under a licensing agreement with Isoprene Pharmaceuticals Inc, a cancer company and part of University of Maryland, Baltimore.

This agreement will provide Hoth with royalty payments from Isoprene for any use of its VNLG-152 including oncology.

VNLG-152, a novel retinamides (Retinoic acid metabolism blocking agents, or RAMBAs), inhibit the cellular enzyme that metabolizes all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), which actively directs cells to mature in a controlled manner to ensure normal growth, added the partnership.

In treating dermatological conditions, the UMB researchers obtained promising early results demonstrating that lead retinamide RAMBAs have equal or superior effects over approved retinoids (ATRA and 13-CRA) to inhibit proliferation of normal human adult keratinocytes and sebocytes, and antikeratinizing effects in reconstructed human epidermis.

The novel RAMBAs block the normal metabolism of endogenous ATRA in cells, increasing the beneficial effects of ATRA. ATRA deficiencies are associated with dermatological diseases and retinoid derivatives have been one of the mainstay therapies for acne. The dermatological retinoid deficiencies include acne, eczema, psoriasis, cold sores, wounds, burns, sunburn, ichthyosis, skin cancer and Kaposi's Sarcoma, all of which are plausible targets for retinamide RAMBA therapy, concluded the partnership.