Rare disease play Castle Creek raises $48M

Specialty dermatology and ear, nose and throat company Castle Creek Pharmaceuticals LLC (Bedminster, N.J.) raised $48 million in a series A round from Fidelity.

This quarter, the company expects to begin a pivotal Phase II/III study of lead program CCP-020 to treat epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS). In a 17-patient Phase II study, Castle Creek said 60% of patients treated with the therapy achieved the primary endpoint of a ≥40% reduction in the number of blisters at four weeks, compared to 15% for placebo. Data were presented on Saturday at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology meeting in Vienna. ...