TopiDLE: Preclinical Development of Topical Immunomodulatory Drugs (IMiDs) for the Treatment of Dicoid Lupus Erythematosus
Grantee: Cristina Solé, Dr., Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Spain
Amount: DKK 2,350,875
Grant category: Research Grants
Year: 2026
Geography: Spain
Discoid lupus erythematosus causes permanent scarring, hair loss and distress in over 500,000 people in Europe, predominantly women of childbearing age. When standard treatments fail, biological drugs exist but act systemically, cost around 10,000 euros per year, and are disproportionate for localised skin disease. Thalidomide as a pill achieves remission in 9 out of 10 patients, but causes nerve damage and is harmful in pregnancy, making indefinite treatment impossible.
We developed the world’s first topical thalidomide formulation: a cream that reduced lesions by 90% in mice while the drug stayed entirely in the skin, undetectable in blood, suggesting both risks could be eliminated.
This project will complete safety and efficacy studies to reach clinical trial, decode how the cream acts within the skin, opening the door to a new class of targeted topical drugs for autoimmune skin diseases, and identify biological markers to monitor treatment response without invasive procedures.