Positive clinical results for Aussie biotech

During a presentation at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting, study investigator Dr Pravin Dugel said the drug had met the primary objectives of the study, which was to donstrate an excellent safety profile and a positive biological signal.{{quote-A:R-W:450-I:2-Q:These additional encouraging findings provide support to further advance the planned clinical development of OPT-302-WHO:Megan Baldwin}}Traditional wet-AMD treatments target primarily VEGF-A, whereas Opthea’s drug inhibits VEGF-C and VEGF-D. According to Dugel, the results of the clinical trials – which involved treating patients with OPT-302 as well as VEGF-A inhibitor Lucentis – suggest that the pan-VEGF inhibitors ployed by Opthea have so far proven more effective than current treatment methods.“The reduction in CNV [choroidal neovascularisation] size observed in treatment-naïve patients receiving OPT-302 plus Lucentis combination therapy, together with the eradication of CNV in half the patients as assessed by an independent reading centre, is a very exciting finding,” Dugel said.“This observation was made at the relatively early week 12 time point, and considering that selective VEGF-A inhibitors tend to stabilise the neovascular complex rather than cause regression, we look forward to assessing CNV area in Opthea’s upcoming 350 patient Phase 2b clinical study with OPT-302, which will dose patients for a longer duration.”Dugel’s comments were made less than a week after Opthea CEO Dr Megan Baldwin presented at the Ophthalmology Innovation Summit in Boston, which she described as an “excellent opportunity”.“The presentation was followed by a robust panel discussion on the potential of novel combination therapies to address the unmet medical need for wet AMD. Opthea is strongly positioned with our novel mechanism to address this unmet need and we look forward to advancing our clinical program for OPT-302 in
Phase 2B and Phase 2A clinical trials in wet AMD and diabetic macular oeda respectively,” Baldwin said following her appearance.“These additional encouraging findings provide support to further advance the planned clinical development of OPT-302 in retinal neovascular diseases where there is a large unmet medical need.” More information:– Dugel’s presentation.