A daily pill gives people who fear sunlight their days back: pivotal trial succeeds

Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is a rare condition that makes sunlight itself painful — even brief exposure can trigger severe, lasting pain, so many people with EPP organise their whole lives around staying indoors and covered. Disc Medicine's Phase 3 APOLLO trial of a daily pill, bitopertin, has now met every one of its main goals in 183 people aged 12 and over: the harmful compound that builds up in their blood fell by 41.4% compared with placebo, participants spent more time in the light, painful reactions fell, and no new safety concerns appeared. Wake Forest's Herbert Bonkovsky, the trial's lead investigator, called it the first robust evidence of both the compound falling and symptoms easing. The company will now talk to regulators about approval, with a possible decision by mid-2027.

SDG 3 · Good health and well-being — Mechanism: tech innovation