Once again, PUFA rears its ugly head in health areas traditionally considered not related to fat metabolism at all. Namely, the study below shows that topical application of a lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitor can prevent the accumulation of scar tissue. Whether LOX inhibition/blockade can completely prevent scar formation remains to be tested, but I don’t see a reason why it would not work, especially if the treatment is a combination of local (e.g. topical) and systemic (oral or IV/injection). Of course, avoidance of dietary PUFA would probably be the best approach, but since it is ubiquitous in the Western diet, LOX inhibition is probably a more practical option. Also, since scar tissue is a form of fibrosis, the study raises the possibility that other forms of fibrosis (e.g. liver, kidneys, heart, etc) would also be preventable/treatable by LOX inhibition and/or PUFA avoidance.
“…Syntara has expanded a Phase 1b study of its next-generation topical anti-fibrotic drug candidate SNT-9465 developed to improve the structure and appearance of hypertrophic sternotomy scars.”
“…Although there are differences in aetiology and location of the scars between the studies (burns vs surgical), it is anticipated that higher LOX levels may drive faster tissue turnover within the scar, creating a greater opportunity for a pan-LOX inhibitor such as SNT-9465 to remodel scar architecture. “Hypertrophic scarring remains an area of significant unmet need and we look forward to evaluating whether the biological rationale for pan-LOX inhibition translates into an acceptable safety and tolerability profile for patients,” Mr Phillips said.”
