CDT Equity Partners with QIMA Life Sciences for Tapinarof Combinations in Psoriasis and Vitiligo

CDT Equity Inc, a biopharmaceutical development company, has entered into a strategic partnership with QIMA Life Sciences, a leading preclinical dermatology contract research organization (CRO). The collaboration aims to evaluate the potential of several of CDT’s assets in autoimmune skin diseases, with a focus on tapinarof (VTAMA®), a drug currently approved for plaque psoriasis and atopic dermatitis in the US and Japan.

Tapinarof, a key component of CDT’s portfolio, is being explored in combination with other known drugs. QIMA Life Sciences will leverage its unique access to human skin from both healthy donors and patients, providing the most clinically relevant data possible. This approach is designed to accelerate the translation of research to clinical applications and enhance the confidence of potential license partners in the success of clinical trials.

Initial studies will center around tapinarof, with the goal of developing a second-generation product that offers increased efficacy and patient benefits. VTAMA® is currently the leading branded topical treatment for psoriasis in the US, and CDT believes that a combination therapy could expand and extend its market to additional patient groups.

The partnership also extends to the investigation of tapinarof combinations in vitiligo, an autoimmune disorder affecting approximately 0.5%, 2.0% of the global population, or roughly tens of millions of people. Vitiligo is a chronic condition characterized by significant emotional and psychological distress for sufferers. The global vitiligo drug market was estimated at approximately US$2.6 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$6.6 billion by 2030.

Current treatments for vitiligo are often intolerable, particularly for pediatric patients, and re-pigmentation can take a considerable amount of time. This unmet need for effective, tolerable therapies is driving CDT’s efforts to explore new combination therapies. The use of human skin in these studies will provide the most physiologically relevant setting possible, ensuring that the research is as close to real-world conditions as current technology allows.

CDT Equity Inc, originally established as Conduit Pharmaceuticals, has evolved into a broader, more agile platform that leverages artificial intelligence, solid-form chemistry, and efficient asset repositioning to accelerate the development of novel treatments. The company is committed to creating shareholder value through licensing, strategic mergers and acquisitions, and positioning itself as a platform for transformative innovation.

This partnership with QIMA Life Sciences is part of CDT’s ongoing efforts to advance its pipeline of potential therapies and address unmet needs in the dermatological market. The collaboration is expected to bring significant benefits to both companies and potentially to millions of patients suffering from autoimmune skin diseases.