Diabetic retinopathy oral treatment trialled

Copenhagen-based Breye Therapeutics announced the start of a phase 1b/2a clinical trial into the effectiveness of the oral drug danegaptide to treat diabetic retinopathy.

Danegaptide targets ‘core pathological events’ including cell to cell uncoupling, apoptotic vascular cell death and vascular leakage at earlier stages of the disease.

Safety data from 500 clinical trial participants, toxicology data and non-clinical in vitro and in vivo efficacy results, were said to validate danegaptide’s potential to address vascular leakage and capillary breakdown.

Ulrik Mouritzen, CEO at Breye Therapeutics, said: ‘The clinical trial represents a significant milestone towards our mission of developing more effective, globally accessible, orally administered treatment solutions for patients at risk of vision loss.’