The Foundation Fighting Blindness Clinical Research Institute (FFB-CRI) recently announced an investment of up to $7.5 million to advance a promising new drug treatment for retinitis pigmentosa.
Known as N-acetylcysteine-amide (NACA), the molecule is reportedly designed to slow vision loss by protecting retinal cells from oxidative stress. NACA was reportedly shown to slow retinal degeneration in several in vitro and in vivo models, including previous FFB-funded lab studies of rodent models at Johns Hopkins University.
According to FFB, NACA is derived from N-acetylcysteine (NAC) — a drug approved by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose by lessening hepatotoxicity. Texas start-up Nacuity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reportedly owns the rights to NACA for ophthalmology and will be developing the drug with support from FFB-CRI. Nacuity reportedly plans to launch a Phase II clinical trial for NACA in early 2018.
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Source: Foundation Fighting Blindness