TURKU, Finland, November 6 /PRNewswire/ -- BioCis Pharma Ltd a privately-held drug development company with its headquarters in Turku, Finland, announced that it has begun Phase IIa clinical testing of ProtoCure(TM) emulsion cream, the company's novel topical drug for dermatology. The double-blind, vehicle-controlled study is designed to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of the topical product in a total of 18 subjects with mild to moderate forms of atopic dermatitis. The subjects will apply ProtoCure(TM) emulsion cream up to four weeks to the skin areas affected by the disease.

Building on the results from our earlier Phase I dermatology studies demonstrating excellent safety, we are pleased to begin this important Phase II study in subjects with atopic dermatitis, says Lasse Leino, CEO of BioCis Pharma. This study will allow us to assess efficacy of ProtoCure(TM) emulsion cream in chronic skin inflammation. We have already shown in the earlier Phase I study that our product has positive effects in acute skin irritation.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin starting typically already in the infancy. It affects up to 20 per cent of the general population in the Western countries, and the prevalence rate is rising. Atopic dermatitis may significantly impair the life quality of the affected subjects. Existing treatments often have undesirable side effects and do not always meet the needs of patients.

BioCis Pharma Ltd is an innovative drug development company with a business idea to develop drug therapies based on a novel, patented therapeutic principle. BioCis Pharma is targeting unmet medical needs in substantial therapeutic markets including inflammation, allergy, and cancer. The company's main investors are Karolinska Development AB (publ.), Finnish Industry Investment Ltd., and Etra Invest Ltd.

http://www.biocis.com

Contacts:

Dr. Lasse Leino, CEO, BioCis Pharma Ltd., mobile phone +358-40-849-4694, lasse.leino@biocis.com

Dr. Lasse Leino, CEO, BioCis Pharma Ltd., mobile phone +358-40-849-4694, lasse.leino@biocis.com