Israel-based Foamix has developed a number of applications for its proprietary foam technologies, which include the delivery of both active ingredients for cosmetic products as well medical and pharmaceutical products.
Denmark-based Leo says that the agreement includes significant milestone payments to Foamix upon the attainment of development, regulatory and clinical goals.
Foamix will be responsible for the foam formulation development of the two products. Likewise, Leo says that it will be responsible for the clinical and regulatory development as well as sales and marketing of the products in the agreed territories.
"We believe that Foamix foam offers the perfect properties to deliver our anti-psoriasis actives. It spreads easily over large surfaces, absorbs instantly, doesn't burn and can deliver the active agents necessary to effectively treat psoriasis," said Ernst Lunding, Leo CEO.
"Leo Pharma's products are currently the leading non-steroidal topical treatments for psoriasis, and we expect that our new foam formulations will expand our position in the dermatological arena," Lunding added.
Psoriasis is a skin disorder that most commonly appears as inflamed, edematous skin lesions covered with a silvery white scale. It is said to affect as many as one in six people and the most common type is plaque psoriasis.
It is a genetic condition which, when triggered by certain factors such as injury or throat infection, leads to an over-production of skin cells called keratinocytes, which causes a thickening of the skin, resulting in the raised red, scaly patches characteristic of psoriasis.
Many leading personal care companies, such as US-based Nutrogena, market product lines that are specifically formulated to help tackle sensitive skin conditions - and in particular psoriasis.
In recent years there have been significant advances in the treatment of psoriasis, with many new products claiming to have increased efficacy. Last year scientists at the University of Newcastle, UK, discovered that a compound extracted from Araroba trees proved to be an effective treatment.
Laboratory studies showed that the compound - dithranol - when used as a topical treatment, very quickly targeted skin cells' mitochondria - the part of a cell from which it draws its energy - causing the cells to die within 24 - 48 hours of the application of the drug, through a process of programmed cell death.
Leo and Foamix are hoping that there treatment will have similar effects on the treatment of skin cells and is expecting that its newly developed product will be ready for final testing later on this year.