Ocugen, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has lifted the clinical hold on its investigational new drug (IND) application for OCU200. This decision paves the way for a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating OCU200 as a treatment for diabetic macular edema (DME).
OCU200: A Novel Approach to DME Treatment
OCU200 is a recombinant fusion protein comprised of tumstatin and transferrin. It is designed to address the underlying disease mechanisms of DME through the integrin pathway. According to Dr. Arun Upadhyay, Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Research & Development at Ocugen, OCU200 holds promise for all DME patients, including the 30-40% who are refractive to current anti-VEGF therapies.
The active component, tumstatin, binds to integrin receptors, crucial in DME pathogenesis. Transferrin facilitates targeted delivery of tumstatin to the retina and choroid, enhancing the interaction between tumstatin and integrin receptors.
Phase 1 Clinical Trial Details
The Phase 1 trial is a multicenter, open-label, dose-ranging study. It includes three cohorts in a dose-escalation phase to assess the safety of OCU200. A fourth cohort will evaluate a combination of OCU200 (at its maximum tolerated dose) with anti-VEGF therapy, administered sequentially via intravitreal injection.
DME: A Growing Concern
DME is a vision-threatening disease affecting approximately 746,000 people in the United States. It is characterized by blurry vision and progressive vision loss. Dr. Huma Qamar, Chief Medical Officer at Ocugen, emphasized the increasing prevalence of DME due to the rising number of diabetes cases in the U.S., making the condition even more imperative to address.
Expanding OCU200's Potential
Ocugen intends to investigate OCU200 for additional indications, including diabetic retinopathy and wet age-related macular degeneration. These conditions collectively affect nearly nine million Americans, highlighting the potential impact of OCU200 on a broad patient population.
