A topical investigative therapy to treat shingles and
shingles-associated pain.
Our priority is to advance Solexan™ through clinical studies to evaluate its safety and potential for improved management of shingles and associated pain.
ZosterEase Clinical Trial Program
In 2024, Wintermute commenced the ZosterEase project. The first investigative step recruited 30 patients with active shingles for a Phase Ib clinical trial to test Solexan™, a potential new antiviral treatment for shingles lesions and shingles-associated pain.
Who participated?
* 30 adults with visible shingles rash of no more than 10 days before Solexan™ therapy commencement.
Clinical objectives
* complete a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, investigating Solexan's™ safety and tolerability, and proof-of-concept efficacy in reducing shingles-associated pain.
* establish an advisory board of world-leading shingles clinical and scientific experts.
Potential clinical benefits of Solexan™
* first topical therapy directly targeting shingles infection and associated pain.
* an adjunct therapy for shingles current standard of care, particularly those not receiving oral antivirals within 3 days of symptoms onset.
* positive compliance as patients can self-apply as a topical application.
What's next?
We are now actively planning the ZosterEase program's Phase II trial to investigate Solexan's™ efficacy for:
* acute pain reduction
* shingles lesion speed of healing
* reducing the incidence and pain burden of post-herpetic neuralgia
Commencement planned for Q1 2026.
Learn more about the ZosterEase Phase I trial here.
Shingles (herpes zoster) is caused by the Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV). Primary infection with the virus causes chicken pox, usually in children. After symptoms subside, the virus lies dormant in nerves, sometimes for decades. Shingles occurs when the virus reactivates, typically brought on by stress or a weakened immune system. Shingles is most common in the elderly population, and one in three people will develop shingles in their lifetime.
Shingles is a painful disease, with a painful rash presenting on the torso, and sometimes on the face and limbs. Symptoms typically subside within seven to ten days, but in some patients, shingles can cause other medical complications. One in five people over 50 will develop post-herpetic neuralgia, a pain that remains after symptoms have resolved. In some cases, pain can remain for months or years; 15% of patients experience pain for years, causing a significant burden to their quality of life.
The current first-line clinical treatment of care for shingles is oral antivirals. Unfortunately, these drugs are minimally effective if given after three days of symptom onset.
Learn more about shingles here.
What is Solexan™?
Solexan™ is an innovative topical treatment being investigated for shingles and shingles-related pain. As a topical foam, Solexan™ can be easily applied to shingles lesions, making it simple for patients to self-administer. Solexan's™ ingredients are GRAS, meaning its safety profile is already well established.
How does Solexan™ work?
Solexan™ is a first-in-class viral entry inhibitor. Unlike current oral antivirals (e.g. valaciclovir, famciclovir) that block DNA replication, Solexan™ directly binds to and blocks VZV from entering host cells.
In collaboration with Professor Jennifer Moffat at SUNY Upstate Medical University, we have found encouraging evidence that Solexan™ can penetrate the skin to directly target the shingles virus.
We believe this could be the key to reducing shingles-induced pain and speeding up lesion healing.
Why Solexan™ for shingles?
