The oversubscribed $330 million series B round secured by Ollin Biosciences Inc. marks more than another large venture round in ophthalmology. It also highlights an emerging biotech financing model in which Chinese pharma companies discover and clinically validate promising drugs before handing global development to well-capitalized U.S. startups backed by blue-chip venture investors.
The much-awaited phase III readout from Oculis Holding AG’s OCS-01 in diabetic macular edema (DME) fell short of expectations, delaying the possibility of a topical eye drop option for DME patients and prompting the company to shuffle its pipeline priorities, with a focus on late-stage programs targeting optic neuropathies and dry eye disease.
Curacle Co. Ltd. inked a potential $1.07 billion deal with U.S.-based “newco” Memento Medicines on May 10, granting the latter exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize preclinical TIE2/VEGF-directed bispecific antibody MT-103 for retinal disorders.
Curacle Co. Ltd. inked a potential $1.07 billion deal with U.S.-based “newco” Memento Medicines on May 10, granting the latter exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize preclinical TIE2/VEGF-directed bispecific antibody MT-103 for retinal disorders.
Curacle Co. Ltd. inked a potential $1.07 billion deal with U.S.-based “newco” Memento Medicines on May 10, granting the latter exclusive global rights to develop and commercialize preclinical TIE2/VEGF-directed bispecific antibody MT-103 for retinal disorders.
As advances are made by bustling drug developers at work in the Wingless-related integration site (Wnt) pathway, other research is yielding new discoveries as well. Among the closely watched industry players in Wnt are Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Merck & Co. Inc., and Surrozen Inc.
Ollin Biosciences Inc. is gearing up for global phase III trials this year after disclosing favorable top-line results from its randomized, head-to-head phase Ib Jade study comparing OLN-324, a next-generation VEGF/Ang2 bispecific antibody, to Vabysmo (faricimab, Roche AG), which takes aim at the same targets. The drugs were tested in more than 160 patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) or wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Eye disease specialist Oculis SA is laying plans to branch out into multiple sclerosis (MS) after the phase II trials of its acute optic neuritis (AON) drug, privosegtor, showed it reduced levels of neurofilament release, a key biomarker of neuronal damage and neurodegeneration.
Coave Therapeutics SA has nominated a lead gene therapy program, CoTx-101, for the treatment of retinal vascular diseases, such as wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema.
