• VLRX-L liquid dose peptide platform in preclinical study
• Aims to control release of peptides, including Clinuvel's melanocortin-based drugs
• Preliminary results expected in H2 2026

Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd has announced that it has commenced dosing in its latest preclinical study with its controlled-release liquid injectable peptide formulation platform, VLRX-L. The VLRX-L platform has been designed to control the release of peptides - including Clinuvel's melanocortin-based drugs - through a flexible liquid dose. The pre-clinical study, focused on safety and kinetics, seeks to evaluate the controlled-release profile of VLRX-L candidates and determine reproducibility of drug release using in-vitro models. VLRX-L is the first novel pharmaceutical platform announced from the ongoing work of Clinuvel's Research, Development & Innovation (RD&I) Centre at VALLAURIX in Singapore. It has been established following over a decade of R&D work focused on understanding and designing peptides, polymers and controlled-release delivery systems, with a view to providing clinical options to physicians and patients. Clinuvel is advancing a range of platform approaches at its RD&I Centre with the intention of completing the preclinical program in the second half of 2026. The company's Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Dennis Wright, stated that the platform now needs to be challenged in in-vivo models to understand how it may ultimately deliver therapies for patients. If the initial results are successful in 2026, Clinuvel will look at the optimal pathways to scale up and commercialise this technology, with a view to extensively expanding its pipeline with its own IP.

If the initial preclinical results for the VLRX-L platform are successful in 2026, Clinuvel will look at the optimal pathways to scale up and commercialise this technology, with a view to extensively expanding its pipeline with its own IP.