AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited announced it is to begin the development of a topical treatment for keloid and hypertrophic scarring with Massey Ventures and the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute. The agreement extends a strategic collaboration between the three organizations that commenced in 2022 to develop a topical treatment for strawberry birthmarks in children. Keloids are thickened scars that extend the boundaries of an injury and can often be itchy and painful.

The scars can arise from any type of injury - from a shaving cut or piercing to a severe burn - and often become disfiguring. The cause of keloids is not fully understood and there are no truly effective treatment options available to patients. AFT, Massey, and the Gillies McIndoe Institute will focus on the development of currently confidential medicines to create the first effective topical treatment of keloids and other scars.

A non-invasive topical medicine would be a valuable treatment option for this condition. The initial focus of the collaboration will be on the finalisation of ingredients for a topical treatment. Following this AFT will embark on a full drug development program involving manufacturing and toxicology work followed by clinical studies, leveraging AFT's global clinical trial capability.

Presently AFT has developed and out-licensed patented pharmaceutical products in over 100 countries around the globe and to date has launched in over 70 countries including the largest pharmaceutical market in the world, the United States. This project extends AFT's Research and Development pipeline to a total of seven projects adding to the existing pipeline: Burning Mouth Syndrome treatment, Eye drop for antibiotic resistant eye infections; NasoSURF drug delivery system; Pascomer treatment for Port Wine Stain; Strawberry Birth Mark treatment; and Vulva Lichen Sclerosis treatment.