Malvern firm raises $21M for skin-cancer drug

Aclaris Therapeutics, Malvern, says it's raised $21 million in its second round of investor financing, following "positive results from a Phase 2 clinical trial of Aclaris' lead product candidate, A-101," which showed what the firm said is "significant" impact in helping clear up tumors of a common "benign" but painful skin cancer, seborrheic keratoses, without cutting or scarring.

The new funding boosts Aclaris capital-raising to $42 million since 2012 and was committed by Aclaris' earlier backers: Vivo Ventures, Fidelity Biosciences, Sofinnova Ventures. Two more trials are ongoing, the firm said. Aclaris employs 9 and expects to hire more as trials progress.

"This financing will enable Aclaris to advance A-101 through to the filing of a new drug application (NDA) with the FDA," said Dr. Neal Walker, the company's president and CEO, in a statement. He said the investors' commitment supports his view the company's therapy, if it becomes the FDA's first approved treatment for these tumors, has a potential market of "millions of patients."