HAMPTON, N.J., Nov. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Celldex Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLDX) today announced data from the Company’s Phase 1b study of barzolvolimab in prurigo nodularis (PN). Barzolvolimab is a humanized monoclonal antibody that specifically binds the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT with high specificity and potently inhibits its activity, which is required for the function and survival of the mast cell. Mast cells are believed to play an important role in amplifying chronic itch and neuroinflammation, including in PN. This study is the first to demonstrate that barzolvolimab, a mast cell depleting agent, can potentially be used to treat PN and other chronic itch indications. The data will be presented in an oral presentation during the “Hot Topics” Session at the 12th World Congress on Itch (WCI) 2023 on Tuesday, November 7th by Martin Metz, M.D., Professor of Dermatology and Allergy at Charité - Universitätsmedizin in Berlin. Abstracts accepted for presentation at the meeting were released today.