Bio Matters: Family influences led eyecro’s executive into scientific research

Rafal Farjo, Ph.D. is chief operating officer of both eyecro and Charlesson, which are involved in research to advance treatments for eye disease such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and ocular inflammation. Far from resisting his family’s interest in all things STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — Farjo embraced it. “I loved it, and…

Pharma News: Bayer, Johns Hopkins partner to develop new ophthalmic therapies

Bayer HealthCare has entered into a five-year collaboration agreement with The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, US, for the discovery and development of new therapies in ophthalmology targeting retinal diseases.  Both the parties will jointly conduct research activities evaluating new targets and disease mechanisms, drug delivery technologies, and biomarkers for back-of-the-eye diseases with high unmet…

eyecro co-authors paper in Molecular and Cellular Biology studying mechanisms leading to Diabetic Retinopathy

Serum retinol-binding protein (RBP4) is the sole specific transport protein for retinol in the blood, but it is also an adipokine with retinol-independent, pro-inflammatory activity associated with obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.  Here we show that RBP4-Tg mice develop progressive retinal degeneration, characterized by photoreceptor ribbon synapse deficiency and subsequent bipolar…

Isis Pharmaceuticals’ License Agreement with Bayer for ISIS-FXI Rx Receives Hart-Scott-Rodino Approval

Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ISIS) today announced that its license agreement with Bayer HealthCare (Bayer) to develop and commercialize ISIS-FXIRx has received clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act.  After completion of ongoing activities at Isis, Bayer will assume all global clinical development as well as worldwide regulatory and commercialization responsibilities for ISIS-FXIRx.  ISIS-FXIRx is an…

Metformin use associated with reduced risk of developing open-angle glaucoma

Taking the medication metformin hydrochloride was associated with reduced risk of developing the sight-threatening disease open-angle glaucoma in people with diabetes, according to a study published online by JAMA Ophthalmology. Medications that mimic caloric restriction such as metformin can reduce the risk of some late age-onset disease. It is unknown whether these caloric mimetic drugs…

Amarantus Announces the Presentation of Data Showing MANF”s Positive Effect on Retinal Function at Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting

Amarantus BioScience Holdings, Inc. announced the presentation of positive preclinical data for MANF (mesencephalic-astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor) in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, being held in Denver, CO. The results from preclinical studies demonstrate that MANF preserves the light-sensing function of photoreceptor cells in a genetic model of…

eyecro and NeuMedics announce collaboration to utilize MiDROPS™ technology for the development of NM108

Oklahoma City, OK, and Seattle, WA; (May 4, 2015) – eyecro LLC and NeuMedics Inc., today announced the formation of a collaboration to facilitate development of NM108, a first-in-class small molecule to treat a number of ophthalmic disorders that lead to blindness, including Diabetic Retinopathy. The collaboration grants NeuMedics full access to the MiDROPS™ formulation…

Kala Pharmaceuticals Announces Positive Results from Phase 2 Trial of KPI-121 in Dry Eye Disease

Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Kala), a developer of innovative ophthalmic products based on its proprietary mucus-penetrating particle (MPP) technology, today announced positive top-line results from a Phase 2 clinical trial of KPI-121.  KPI-121 achieved statistical significance for the primary sign endpoint of bulbar conjunctival hyperemia, and promising trends were observed for key symptom endpoints. “The achievement of…

Retinitis Pigmentosa: FDA approves first retinal implant for advanced adult RP

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of inherited disorders characterized by progressive peripheral vision loss and night vision difficulties (nyctalopia) that can lead to central vision loss. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first retinal implant, the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System, for adults aged 25 years or older with advanced RP. The…