Kalm Therapeutics’ effort to find an alternative to steroids used to combat conditions such as eczema and psoriasis received a boost in the form of what the company termed a “significant’’ grant.

The grant was awarded by Southern Research’s Therapeutics Development Fund (TDF) and could hasten Kalm Therapeutics’ research.

“The awarded grant will enable Kalm Therapeutics to accelerate its groundbreaking work and position the company for an FDA Investigational New Drug submission later this year,” said AJ Singhal, founder and CEO of Kalm Therapeutics. “We are focused on providing a safer and easier treatment alternative to steroids for the 20 million patients suffering from localized atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.”

Kalm Therapeutics is an immune and inflammation-focused biopharma company located on the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology campus in Huntsville.

According to the company, the award from TDF will support an in vivo good laboratory practices (GLP) study on Kalm’s topical patch system in coordination with Southern Research. Kalm Therapeutics’ focus is to use immune-modulating small molecules in its gentle adhesive patch to treat inflammatory skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis (eczema), psoriasis, and prurigo nodularis while avoiding steroid use.

Station 41, located in Birmingham, is a commercialization engine for life sciences and biotechnology located at Southern Research and led by the UAB Harbert Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Its TDF supports work like this to help connect the Huntsville and Birmingham biotechnology ecosystems.

“As a Scientist to CEO across my career, it is all about ecosystem building and support for me now,” said Dr. Erik Schwiebert, director of Station 41. “We want our long-simmering ecosystem to bubble and boil and do so across Alabama. We are also grateful for the underlying support from the Innovate Alabama Tax Credit Program to drive this project.”