AOB Pharma Secures EMA Pediatric Investigation Plan Approval for B244 Atopic Dermatitis Treatment with Topical Corticosteroid Waiver
Key Insights
AOB Pharma (search) received positive decision from the European Medicines Agency (search)'s Pediatric Committee on September 10, 2025, for its pediatric investigation plan supporting B244 development in atopic dermatitis (search).
The EMA granted a topical corticosteroid comparator waiver for Phase 3 studies in adolescents and adults aged 12 years and older, departing from previous requirements that prevented market access for Eucrisa and Opzelura.
B244 is a first-in-class topical live biotherapeutic that produces nitric oxide to regulate inflammation and has demonstrated ability to reduce inflammatory cytokines IL-4 (search), IL-5 (search), IL-13 (search), and IL-31 (search).
AOB Pharma (search) has achieved a significant regulatory milestone with the European Medicines Agency (search)'s Pediatric Committee (PDCO) granting a positive decision on the pediatric investigation plan (PIP) for B244, the company's first-in-class topical live biotherapeutic product for treating mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (search) and pruritus (search). The decision, made on September 10, 2025, and published on the EMA website on November 6, 2025, paves the way for B244's development in the European Union.
Regulatory Breakthrough with Corticosteroid Waiver
The PDCO decision includes a crucial topical corticosteroid (TCS) comparator waiver for AOBiome (search)'s planned Phase 3 pivotal studies in adolescents and adults ages 12 years and older. This waiver represents a significant departure from prior TCS comparator requirements that have prevented other topical atopic dermatitis (search) products, including Eucrisa and Opzelura, from gaining market access in Europe due to pricing and reimbursement issues.
The PDCO acknowledged that B244 is intended as a more patient-friendly treatment with potential for better patient adoption and an improved safety profile, leading to their acceptance of AOBiome (search)'s request for the TCS waiver. The committee recognized that the product's effect may be supported by endpoints for the assessment of TCS use as rescue medication, which AOBiome already plans to implement in its study designs.
Global Regulatory Alignment
The PIP agreements align favorably with prior agreements reached with the US FDA and Japan PMDA on the Phase 3 program, enabling registration in these key markets. The Japan development is currently supported by AOBiome (search)'s ongoing development and license partnership with Maruho Co., Ltd.
The agreement will allow AOBiome (search) to file the initial Market Authorization Application (MAA) to the EMA based on the outcomes of two pivotal studies and one open-label extension (OLE) study in adolescents and adults without the need for a comparator arm or study. Additional agreements with PDCO include receiving a waiver on the pediatric population from birth to less than 1 month of age, and a pediatric deferral to initiate the pediatric study after AOBiome's pivotal studies are completed in adolescents and adults.
B244 Mechanism and Clinical Progress
B244 is a patented, proprietary topical formulation that produces nitric oxide, a signaling molecule known to regulate inflammation and vasodilation. The product has been observed to be safe and well-tolerated in clinical studies to date. Recently published immunology data demonstrates that B244 can reduce the inflammatory and pruritic cytokines IL-4 (search), IL-5 (search), IL-13 (search), and IL-31 (search).
AOBiome (search) is currently preparing to initiate a global Phase 3 study to evaluate B244 for the treatment of mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis (search) and associated moderate-to-severe itch, following the successful completion of a 547-patient Phase 2b study.
Industry Impact and Expert Commentary
Hyun Kim, SVP Clinical Development at AOBiome (search), emphasized the significance of the regulatory outcome: "Achieving a positive PIP decision with a TCS waiver is an exceptional regulatory outcome that opens European market access. We're especially excited about what this means for atopic dermatitis (search) patients in Europe who have faced significant barriers to accessing new topical treatments."
The extensive PIP process was supported by Veristat (search), a global clinical research organization specializing in complex studies. Kim Boericke, Chief Operations Officer at Veristat, noted: "The PIP positive decision is a culmination of tremendous effort by AOBiome (search) and Veristat's regulatory consulting team. We are proud of our ongoing partnership with AOBiome to deliver meaningful milestones that will ultimately improve patients' lives."