VYNE Therapeutics Inc. announced that it has enrolled the first patient in its Phase 1b/2a clinical trial evaluating FMX114 for the treatment of mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis (AD). FMX114 is VYNE?s proprietary investigational combination gel formulation of tofacitinib and fingolimod. The product is being developed to address both the source and cause of inflammation in AD by developing a distinct combination of tofacitinib (a Janus kinase inhibitor aimed at reducing inflammation by inhibiting cytokine release from inflammatory cells) and fingolimod (a Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulator) which approaches the reduction of inflammation by inhibiting migration of inflammatory cells, and in addition may also directly support skin barrier recovery. FMX114 has the potential to be the first topical combination JAK inhibitor for the treatment of AD as well as the first topical product in clinical development that utilizes the sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor mode of action. The planned 25 patient Phase 2a study comparing the safety and efficacy of FMX114 gel with vehicle gel will also incorporate a preliminary Phase 1b evaluation of the safety and pharmacokinetics of FMX114 in 6 patients with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis for up to two weeks.