Nacuity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has received Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its NPI-001 (N-acetylcysteine amide) tablets, an investigational therapy for retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The designation aims to expedite the development and review of drugs that treat serious conditions and fill unmet medical needs.
G. Michael Wall, PhD, Senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Nacuity Pharmaceuticals, stated that the Fast Track designation is an objective assessment by the FDA of NPI-001's potential as a treatment for RP, a severe blinding disease. He added, “We are committed to advancing NPI-001 to address this significant unmet medical need for patients suffering from RP.”
Addressing Oxidative Stress in Retinitis Pigmentosa
NPI-001 is a proprietary, GMP-grade formulation of N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA) tablets designed to combat oxidative stress, a key factor in the progression of RP. Preclinical studies suggest that NPI-001 increases glutathione levels, a potent endogenous antioxidant, which can prevent chemically aggressive oxygen molecules from damaging retinal cells.
Fast Track Designation Benefits
The Fast Track designation offers several advantages, including more frequent meetings with the FDA to discuss the drug's development plan and data. It also makes NPI-001 eligible for Accelerated Approval and Priority Review if relevant criteria are met, potentially speeding up its availability to patients.
The Unmet Need in Retinitis Pigmentosa
Retinitis pigmentosa is a group of inherited retinal diseases affecting approximately 100,000 people in the U.S. The condition is characterized by progressive night and peripheral vision loss, often leading to legal or complete blindness. RP is caused by over 3,000 different mutations in more than 50 genes. While a curative gene therapy (voretigene neparvovec) exists for patients with the RPE65 mutation (1-6% of RP patients), there is a significant need for gene-agnostic treatments.
Nacuity researchers are focused on developing such a treatment, addressing a critical gap in the current therapeutic landscape for RP.
NPI-001: A Potential Gene-Agnostic Approach
Nacuity Pharmaceuticals is developing NPI-001 as a gene-agnostic treatment for RP. In addition to Fast Track designation, NPI-001 has been granted Orphan Drug Designation for RP, which provides seven years of U.S. FDA regulatory exclusivity for the product upon regulatory approval.
