Rubedo Life Sciences has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for RLS-1496 to begin a Phase 1b/2a clinical trial in patients with actinic keratosis, according to the company.
RLS-1496 is a first-in-class, selective glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) modulator being developed to target pathological senescent cells believed to drive inflammaging and other age-related skin disorders, the company said.
The actinic keratosis trial is set to start in the fourth quarter of 2025. Rubedo said that results from its first trial of RLS-1496—focused on psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and photoaging—are also expected in Q4 2025.
Rubedo has expanded its Clinical Advisory Board by adding dermatologist and immunologist Emma Guttman-Yassky of Mount Sinai. With her addition, the board now consists of five dermatologists involved in both clinical practice and research advising on strategy and science, the company said.
Rubedo claims its ALEMBIC™ AI-driven drug discovery platform enables identification of senescent cells and development of small molecules that restore tissue homeostasis. The company is developing RLS-1496 for both topical and oral administration, according to its announcement.
