RetiPharma has announced it has secured funding necessary to prepare its lead drug RP001 for a clinical proof-of-concept study in patients with retinal detachment. In part, it will also be used to in source additional compounds using a unique translational platform. RP001 is a new peptide drug for intravitreal injection that already has demonstrated functional improvement of the sight as well as neuroprotection in several in vivo models.
Assuming the positive in vivo effects of RP001 can be demonstrated in patients with retinal detachment, it will open up a potential to explore this novel target in other degenerative eye disorders, such as Retinal Vein Occlusion (RVO), Acute Glaucoma, Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) and Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). The translational in vivo platform has been developed in parallel with the groundwork of RP001 showing end-point effects that are relevant for clinical studies in humans. End-points are measured by the same equipment used in the clinic adding to the comfort of seeing the effects translated in patients. RP001 could reach the market under an accelerated regulatory process as early as 2024.
RetiPharma focuses on the development of products for the treatment of degenerative eye disorders based on a platform for translation from in vivo models to humans. The funder, Novo Nordisk Foundation’s BioInnovation Institute (BII), has provided EUR 1.3 million to be paid in tranches according to the achievement of agreed milestones.
See the full news release from RetiPharma.