Efficacy and Safety of the Heat Shock Protein 90 Inhibitor RGRN-305 in Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Parallel-Design Double-Blind Trial

Importance Hidradenitis suppurativa is a painful immune-mediated disorder with limited treatment options; hence, a need exists for new treatments.Objective To evaluate the feasibility of heat shock protein 90 inhibition by RGRN-305 as a novel mechanism of action in treating moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa.Design, Setting, and Participants This was a parallel-design, double-blind, proof-of-concept, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial conducted between September 22, 2021, and August 29, 2022, at the Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark. The study included a 1- to 30-day screening period, a 16-week treatment period, and a 4-week follow-up period. Eligibility criteria included age 18 years or older and moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa with 6 or more inflammatory nodules or abscesses in at least 2 distinct anatomic regions. Of 19 patients screened, 15 patients were enrolled in the study. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed.Interventions Patients were randomly assigned (2:1) to receive oral RGRN-305, 250-mg tablet, or matching placebo once daily for 16 weeks.Main Outcomes and Measures The primary efficacy end point was the percentage of patients achieving Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinical Response 50 (HiSCR-50) at week 16. Secondary efficacy end points included HiSCR-75 or HiSCR-90, Hidradenitis Suppurativa Physician's Global Assessment, Dermatology Life Quality Index scores, and a pain numeric rating scale. Safety was assessed by adverse events, physical examinations, clinical laboratory measurements, and electrocardiograms.Results A total of 15 patients were enrolled, completed the study, and were included in all analyses (10 [67%] female; median age, 29 [IQR, 23-41] years). The primary end point HiSCR-50 at week 16 was achieved by a higher percentage in the RGRN-305 group (60% [6 of 10]) than in the placebo group (20% [1 of 5]). Improvements were also observed across all secondary end points at week 16, including higher rates of the harder-to-reach HiSCR levels; 50% (5 of 10) achieved HiSCR-75 and 30% (3 of 10) achieved HiSCR-90, whereas none of the placebo-treated patients achieved HiSCR-75 or HiSCR-90. RGRN-305 was well tolerated, with no deaths or serious adverse events, and treatment-emergent adverse events were similarly frequent between the RGRN-305 and placebo groups.Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this trial suggest that heat shock protein 90 inhibition by RGRN-305 offers a novel mechanism of action in treating hidradenitis suppurativa, warranting further evaluation in larger trials.