Introduction
Menlo Therapeutics (MNLO) is a small-cap ($103M) clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative drug candidates therapeutically targeting neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1-R). Serlopitant (formerly VPD-73) is an oral once-daily selective NK1-R antagonist being clinically assessed for pruritus (itch) associated with orphan, genetic and autoimmune skin diseases, including prurigo nodularis ((PN)), psoriasis, epidermolysis bullosa (a genetic skin disorder) and unknown etiology/idiopathic.
Why Serlopitant?
Mechanistically, serlopitant a NK1-R antagonist, functionally antagonizes the pathophysiological effects of NK1-R. NK1-R is localised in the central and peripheral nervous system and in diverse cell types in several organ systems. NK1-R is