AFT,Massey Ventures,Gilles McIndoe to develop scar treatmen

AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited,
Level 1, 129 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland 0622, New Zealand
Incorporated in New Zealand ARBN:
ARBN 609 017 969 investor.relations@aftpharm.com








24 April 2024
AFT, Massey Ventures, Gilles McIndoe to develop scar treatment

AFT Pharmaceuticals (NZX: AFT, ASX: AFP) today announces it is to begin the
development of a topical treatment for keloid and hypertrophic scarring with
Massey Ventures, the commercialization company of Massey University, and
the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, a New Zealand charitable research
foundation.

The agreement extends a strategic collaboration between the three
organisations 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.

AFT Managing Director and CEO Hartley Atkinson said: “We are delighted to
extend our collaboration with Massey Ventures and Gilles McIndoe and build
on the early successes we are seeing with our strawberry birthmark project.

“We see the scar tissue programme as a very worthwhile area to help the
treatment of patients with disfiguring keloid scars. It also offers an attractive
global commercial opportunity.

“The addition of this potential treatment to AFT’s portfolio of six ongoing
research and development projects is aligned with the group’s strategic focus
on investing for significant long term international growth.”

AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited,
Level 1, 129 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland 0622, New Zealand
Incorporated in New Zealand ARBN:
ARBN 609 017 969 investor.relations@aftpharm.com

Massey Ventures Senior Commercialisation Manager, Dr Sean Mackay,
described the agreement as an exciting opportunity for the University.

“Partnerships with companies like AFT are essential for realising a technology’s
full potential. AFT has the networks, skills, and resources to make the most of a
potentially life-changing medicine like this, and it is exciting to partner with
Hartley and his team on this journey.”

Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Director, Dr Clint Gray added: “Current
treatment options for keloid and hypertrophic scarring are limited, involving
invasive procedures like surgery or injections, which are not always effective
and can lead to further scarring. Our topical treatment aims to modulate the
skin’s healing process, preventing the excessive collagen deposition that
characterises these scars.

“For too long, individuals with keloid and hypertrophic scars have had to
navigate a landscape of ineffective treatments. A topical solution not only
offers less invasive options but also the convenience of self-application,
potentially transforming the landscape of scar management.”

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. Dr Atkinson said, “also underway is the commercialisation of
Maxigesic line extensions and four other completed research and
development projects: Crystaderm
®
; Kiwisoothe
®
tablets and sachets,
Micolette
®
; and ZoRub
®
cream.”

This project extends AFT’s Research and Development pipeline to a total of
seven projects adding to the existing pipeline: Burning Mouth Syndrome
treatment
1
, 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
1
.

For and on behalf of AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited by Malcolm Tubby, Chief Financial
Officer.

Footnote: 1. In partnership with Hyloris Pharmaceuticals SA, Belgium.

For more information:
Investors Media
Dr Hartley Atkinson Richard Inder

AFT Pharmaceuticals Limited,
Level 1, 129 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, Auckland 0622, New Zealand
Incorporated in New Zealand ARBN:
ARBN 609 017 969 investor.relations@aftpharm.com

Managing Director The Project
AFT Pharmaceuticals Tel: +64 21 645 643
Tel: +64 9488 0232

About AFT Pharmaceuticals
AFT is a growing multinational pharmaceutical company that develops, markets, and
distributes a broad portfolio of pharmaceutical products across a wide range of
therapeutic categories which are distributed across all major pharmaceutical
distribution channels: over the counter (OTC), prescription and hospital. Our product
portfolio comprises both proprietary and in-licensed products, and includes patented,
branded, and generic drugs
1
. Our business model is to develop and in-license
products for sale by our own dedicated sales teams in our home markets of Australia
and New Zealand and in certain Southeast Asian markets, and to out-license our
products to local licensees and distributors to over 125 countries around the world. For
more information about the company, visit our website www.aftpharm.com.