WEST CHESTER, Pa., Sept. 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Verrica” or “the Company”) (Nasdaq: VRCA), a dermatology therapeutics company developing medications for skin diseases requiring medical interventions, today announced that it will host a virtual KOL event discussing the approval of YCANTH™ (cantharidin) topical solution for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum on Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at 11:00 AM ET. To register, click here.

The event will feature Mark Kaufmann, MD (Advanced Dermatology, Miami), Michael Cameron, MD (Cameron Dermatology; Department of Dermatology, Mount Sinai, NY), and Mercedes Gonzalez, MD (Pediatric Dermatology of Miami) who will discuss the unmet medical need for patients suffering from molluscum contagiosum (molluscum), a highly contagious viral skin disease that affects approximately six million people — primarily children — in the United States.

The event will focus on the recent approval of YCANTH™ as the only product approved by the FDA to treat molluscum in adult and pediatric patients two years of age and older. Molluscum is caused by a pox virus that produces distinctive raised, skin-toned-to-pink-colored lesions that can cause pain, inflammation, itching and bacterial infection. It is easily transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact or through fomites and can spread to other parts of the body or to other people, including siblings. Without treatment, molluscum can last for an average of 13 months, and in some cases, up to five years.

A live question and answer session will follow the formal presentation.

About Mark Kaufmann, MD
Dr. Kaufmann is Chief Medical Officer of Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, which is a premier dermatology and cosmetic surgery practices with 160+ locations in the U.S. He is also an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Dermatology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, a position he has held since 1995. He was in solo private practice for 23 years until he joined The Dermatology Group in November 2017. In September 2020, he joined Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery as their Chief Medical Officer. He received his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine, completing residency training in dermatology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York. He is Board Certified in Dermatology. Dr. Kaufmann is a former President of the American Academy of Dermatology (March 2022 until March 2023) and he has also served on the AAD Board of Directors. He has served on countless AAD committees and has chaired many of them as well. He also serves as an advisor to the Academy RUC team (Relative Value Scale Update Committee) - a position he has held for over a decade. Dr. Kaufmann’s contributions to the American Academy of Dermatology have been recognized by his receiving a Presidential Citation in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2020. With many articles published on the topic of health information technology, Dr. Kaufmann is a frequent national lecturer, including the annual meetings of the American Academy of Dermatology, and other societies, and grand rounds.
        
About Michael Cameron, MD
Dr. Cameron is the founder of Cameron Dermatology PLLC and an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York City. He is a board-certified dermatologist with expertise in drug development and inflammatory skin diseases with previous experience in the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare consulting, and academic medicine. He is a consultant for various biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Cameron completed his residency training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the University of Colorado. Prior to residency training, he received his undergraduate degree from Duke University and his medical degree from the University of South Florida. He has expertise in the treatment of eczema, psoriasis, alopecia areata and other types of hair loss, vitiligo, acne, and skin cancer. He is co-author of more than 20 publications in peer-reviewed medical journals and 2 dermatology textbook chapters. He has also presented his research at various medical conferences.
        
About Mercedes Gonzalez, MD
Dr. Gonzalez is the founder of Pediatric Dermatology of Miami. Dr. Gonzalez began practicing pediatric dermatology in 2013 and opened her own practice in 2014. In addition to taking care of children with skin, hair, and nail problems, Dr. Gonzalez is actively involved in educating and training the next generation of pediatric dermatologists. She currently serves as a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and also serves as a faculty advisor for the dermatology interest group at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Gonzalez has published over 30 journal articles, contributed to multiple dermatology textbooks, and spoken at numerous dermatology conferences. She is also the co-editor of the upcoming 4th edition of “Goodheart’s Photoguide to Common Skin Disorders,” a picture-based dermatology textbook. In addition, she is regularly featured on the dermatology show on Sirius XM’s Doctor Radio channel and on FIU’s “A Tu Salud” radio program on Radio Mambi (AM 710, Miami, FL).

About YCANTH™ (formerly VP-102)
YCANTH™ is a proprietary drug-device combination product that contains a GMP-controlled formulation of cantharidin delivered via a single-use applicator that allows for precise topical dosing and targeted administration for the treatment of molluscum. YCANTH™ is the only product approved by the FDA to treat molluscum — a common, highly contagious skin disease that affects an estimated six million people in the United States, primarily children. Please visit YCANTHPro.com for additional information.

In addition, Verrica has successfully completed a Phase 2 study of VP-102 for the treatment of common warts and a Phase 2 study of VP-102 for the treatment of external genital warts.

YCANTH™ should only be administered by a trained healthcare professional. YCANTH™ is not for home use.

Indication

YCANTH (cantharidin) topical solution, 0.7% is indicated for the topical treatment of molluscum contagiosum in adult and pediatric patients 2 years of age and older.

Important Safety Information

CONTRAINDICATIONS:

None.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS:

• YCANTH is for topical use only. YCANTH is not for oral, mucosal, or ophthalmic use. Life threatening or fatal toxicities can occur if YCANTH is administered orally. Avoid contact with the treatment area, including oral contact, after treatment. Ocular toxicity can occur if YCANTH comes in contact with eyes. If YCANTH gets in eyes, flush eyes with water for at least 15 minutes.
• Local Skin Reactions: Reactions at the application site may occur, including vesiculation, pruritus, pain, discoloration, and erythema. Avoid application near eyes and mucosal tissue, and to healthy skin. If YCANTH contacts any unintended surface, or healthy skin, immediately remove. If severe local skin reactions occur, remove prior to the recommended 24 hours after treatment.
• YCANTH is flammable, even after drying. Avoid fire, flame or smoking near lesion(s) during treatment and after application until removed.
  
  

ADVERSE REACTIONS:

The most common (incidence ≥1%) reactions are the following local skin reactions at the application site: vesiculation, pain, pruritus, scabbing, erythema, discoloration, application site dryness, edema, and erosion. Local skin reactions at the application site were observed in 97% of subjects treated with YCANTH during clinical trials. These local skin reactions are expected and related to the anticipated blistering response of the skin to cantharidin.

DRUG INTERACTIONS:

No studies evaluating the drug interaction potential of cantharidin have been conducted.

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS:

Pregnancy: There are no available data with use of YCANTH in pregnant women to evaluate for a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage or adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Given that systemic exposure to cantharidin following topical administration is low, maternal use is not expected to result in fetal exposure to the drug.

Lactation: Avoid application of YCANTH topical solution to areas with increased risk for potential ingestion by or ocular exposure to the breastfeeding child.

OVERDOSAGE:

Oral ingestion of cantharidin has resulted in renal failure, blistering and severe damage to the gastrointestinal tract, coagulopathy, seizures, and flaccid paralysis.

Please see accompanying full Prescribing Information.

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. at 1-877-VERRICA (1-877-837-7422), or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. Local skin reactions are expected and should be reported if they are severe.

About Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. 
Verrica is a dermatology therapeutics company developing medications for skin diseases requiring medical interventions. On July 21, 2023, Verrica’s lead product, YCANTH™ (cantharidin), became the first treatment approved by the FDA to treat pediatric and adult patients with molluscum contagiosum, a highly contagious viral skin infection affecting approximately 6 million people in the United States, primarily children. VP-102 is also in development to treat common warts and external genital warts, two of the largest unmet needs in medical dermatology. Verrica is developing VP-103, its second cantharidin-based product candidate, for the treatment of plantar warts. Verrica has also entered a worldwide license agreement with Lytix Biopharma AS to develop and commercialize VP-315 (formerly LTX-315 and VP-LTX-315) for dermatologic oncology conditions. For more information, visit www.verrica.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Investors:

Terry Kohler 
Chief Financial Officer 
tkohler@verrica.com

Kevin Gardner 
LifeSci Advisors 
kgardner@lifesciadvisors.com

Chris Calabrese 
LifeSci Advisors 
ccalabrese@lifesciadvisors.com