Quoin publishes peer-reviewed paper on QRX003 in Netherton Syndrome

Quoin Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (NASDAQ: QNRX) announced on October 20, 2026 that a peer-reviewed manuscript on its investigational lotion QRX003 had been published in the journal Dermatology and Therapy. The paper was published online on October 13, 2026, and is open access. It introduces QRX003 and describes its mechanism of action in Netherton Syndrome, a rare hereditary skin disease.

The paper includes a case report from Professor Alan Irvine, consultant dermatologist at Children's Health Ireland and professor of dermatology at Trinity College Dublin. The case describes a pediatric patient treated with QRX003 under Quoin's Pediatric Compassionate Use Program.

The case report

The patient had genetically confirmed Netherton Syndrome and received once-daily, whole-body application of QRX003 on a compassionate-use basis, added to the existing treatment plan. The release says the case is the first use of QRX003 in a pediatric patient and the longest continuous exposure to QRX003 to date.

After six weeks, the patient's Investigator's Global Assessment score improved from 4, which is severe, at baseline to 1, which is almost clear. Itch, measured by the Worst Itch Numeric Rating Scale, fell from 5 to 1. By eight months, the IGA score was 0, meaning clear, and the itch score was 0, meaning no itch. Over 21 months of treatment, the patient remained mostly at IGA 0, with occasional episodes recorded at IGA 1.

During treatment the patient stopped medications that had been required before, including antihistamines, glucocorticoids and antivirals. The release says the family and the treating physician reported no adverse events considered treatment-related.

The authors note that these single-patient observations are consistent with a possible treatment-associated effect, and that ongoing clinical trials will further evaluate safety and efficacy. Chief Executive Dr. Michael Myers said: "Publication of this paper makes the scientific rationale behind QRX003, and Professor Irvine's clinical experience with it, available to the broader dermatology and Netherton communities."

The Phase 2/3 study

The release also reports interim results from the ongoing Phase 2/3 study CL-QRX003-004. In the interim analysis of the first six participants to complete 12 weeks of treatment, four of six, or 66.7%, achieved the primary endpoint, a 1-grade or greater improvement in Investigator Global Assessment. The release gives the result as p=0.0087 against a pre-specified alpha of 0.0215.

Quoin expects to finish recruiting by the end of 2026.

Company background

Quoin's annual report for 2025, filed March 26, 2026, describes QRX003 as entering pivotal registrational testing under an open Investigational New Drug application with the FDA. The company had opened six clinical sites in the United States and planned sites in the UK, Spain, France and the Netherlands.

The release describes QRX003 as an investigational topical serine protease inhibitor lotion in late-stage development for Netherton Syndrome and other orphan skin diseases. It has been granted Orphan Drug, Rare Pediatric Disease and Fast Track designations by the FDA for Netherton Syndrome, and Orphan Drug Designation in the European Union and Japan.

Financial position

The annual report shows research and development expense of $9.8 million for 2025, up from $3.6 million for 2024. It reports a net loss of $15.8 million for 2025 and $9.0 million for 2024. Cash from operations was negative $13.5 million in 2025 and negative $7.9 million in 2024.

A quarterly report filed August 14, 2026 gives the balance at June 30, 2026.

What the evidence does and does not show

The case report covers one child treated on a compassionate-use basis, added to an existing treatment plan, with no control group. The interim Phase 2/3 result rests on six participants, of whom four met the endpoint. The release does not say whether the study has a placebo or other control arm and gives no safety summary for it. The company calls the interim result positive, but the full study enrolls only 20 participants, and topline data are not expected until the second quarter of 2027.

The business side is thinner. The annual report says no products have been commercialized and no revenue has been generated. Cash used in operations was $13.5 million in 2025, while cash and cash equivalents were $3.8 million and short-term investments $7.0 million at June 30, 2026.

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