The research collaboration agreement, leveraging PolyActiva’s proprietary PREZIA™ platform, will offer first-of-its-kind, new chemical entity (NCE)-eligible pro-drug candidates to people affected by blinding eye conditions. Administered intravitreally, the approach will deliver sustained-release, zero-order treatment directly to the retina, requiring no patient administration—a key benefit for children and their caregivers.
The collaboration with RareSight expands PolyActiva’s clinical-stage ophthalmic portfolio, which includes PA5108, a new chemical entity and biodegradable ocular micro-implant designed for sustained intraocular pressure control for up to six months with repeat dosing using the PREZIA platform. PolyActiva’s phase IIb US trial is currently underway in approximately 75 patients across 12 sites to evaluate PA5108’s safety, tolerability, and durability in controlling intraocular pressure over time.
By broadening its proprietary pro-drug technology into new therapeutic domains, including pediatric rare retinal diseases, both companies have the potential to develop the first-ever drug treatments for underserved patient populations.
"Partnering with RareSight allows us to apply our PREZIA technology beyond glaucoma to address the urgent unmet needs of children living with inherited retinal disorders. This effort reflects our broader vision to build a diversified ophthalmic pipeline that delivers durable, targeted, and potentially life-changing treatments for people who have long been overlooked," said Jerry St. Peter, CEO and Board Director of PolyActiva.
Carmen Caricchio, CEO and Founder of RareSight, added: “Together, we are advancing a new class of long-acting pharmacologic therapies to address early-onset vision loss, with the potential to change a child’s life and bring hope to generations to come.”
Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) collectively affect up to 6,800,000 people worldwide. There are no approved drug treatments for these severe and progressive genetic ophthalmic conditions.
"Children with inherited retinal diseases face lifelong visual challenges with no approved drug therapies," said Sandeep Grover, MD, Medical Retina, Inherited Retinal Disease Specialist, and Professor of Ophthalmology based in Jacksonville, FL. "As a pioneer of the earliest research in this field and caring for kids and their families for more than two decades, I am encouraged by novel therapeutic strategies that support our goal of helping patients maintain vision, function, and independence as long as possible."
