BEIJING, Nov. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- InnoCare Pharma (HKEX: 9969; SSE: 688428), a leading biopharmaceutical company focusing on the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, announced today that the first patient has been dosed in the global Phase II clinical trial of its novel TYK2 inhibitor, Soficitinib (ICP-332), for the treatment of patients with prurigo nodularis in China.

Soficitinib is a potent and selective TYK2 inhibitor that is being developed for the treatment of various T-cell related autoimmune disorders. The Current indications under development are strategically positioned within the vast dermatology market, including atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, prurigo nodularis, urticaria, and more. TYK2 plays a key role in the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and is critical in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.

Prurigo nodularis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by severe itching and skin nodules, which significantly impairs patients’ quality of life. Soficitinib alleviates symptoms by blocking the signaling pathways of cytokines related to itching and inflammation, such as IL-4, IL-13, and IL-31, thereby reducing neurogenic itch responses and inhibiting skin inflammation.

There are about 10 million patients with prurigo nodularis worldwide¹. The global prurigo nodularis market was valued at US$2 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow to US$3 billion in 2034².

Dr. Jasmine Cui, Co-founder, Chairwoman, and CEO of InnoCare, said, “InnoCare's pipeline under development now covers ten major autoimmune diseases, with a particular focus on dermatological conditions. The Phase II clinical study of Soficitinib for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis demonstrated outstanding efficacy and a strong safety profile. The data has been released as a late-breaking oral presentation at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting. We are accelerating global clinical development to bring innovative therapies to more autoimmune patients as early as possible.”

About InnoCare

InnoCare is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing, and commercializing first-in-class and/or best-in-class drugs for the treatment of cancers and autoimmune diseases with unmet medical needs in China and worldwide. InnoCare has branches in Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and the United States.

InnoCare Forward-looking Statements

This report contains the disclosure of some forward-looking statements. Except for statements of facts, all other statements can be regarded as forward-looking statements, that is, about our or our management's intentions, plans, beliefs, or expectations that will or may occur in the future. Such statements are assumptions and estimates made by our management based on its experience and knowledge of historical trends, current conditions, expected future development and other related factors. This forward-looking statement does not guarantee future performance, and actual results, development and business decisions may not match the expectations of the forward-looking statement. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to a large number of risks and uncertainties, which may affect our short-term and long-term performance.

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¹ https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.20585
² Global Market Insights