Eye health R&D trends and breakthrough innovations
In this report and the article below, we surface the most promising early-stage research and assets from academic groups and biotech companies focused on addressing eye health and vision.
The trends and breakthroughs featuring in the report come from analyzing the engagement of industry R&D, S&E, and innovation teams using our online partnering platform to identify new opportunities for their pipelines.
Through this report and our platform, our aim is provide access to the most-promising, exclusive, and previously unsurfaced research and assets, helping accelerate the development of new interventions alleviating the burden of eye disease and vision loss globally.
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Key R&D challenges for eye health
Eye health and vision are crucial to achieving many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as they are bound with quality of life, mobility, and participation. It’s understood that 50% of all sight loss could be avoidable. But in 2020, 596 million people globally had distance vision impairments, and 43 million people were recorded as being blind. Due to aging demographics, population growth, and urbanization, these numbers are expected to rise by 2050 to 895 million and 61 million, respectively. Additionally, increased screen time is likely to heighten the prevalence of cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration, which are some of the leading causes of vision impairment and loss globally.
Other prevalent conditions causing sight loss include diabetic retinopathy and refractive errors such asmyopia. Academic researchers and industrial R&D teams have developed treatments to help alleviate symptoms and slow the progression of vision loss from all of the above conditions. However, no cures exist for many conditions. Many eye conditions or diseases require long-term management to mitigate progression. A key priority for addressing eye health is the deployment of effective treatments globally and equitably. For example, while cataracts are treatable with surgery, global access remains limited.
Challenge #1
Age-related vision loss
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts present significant challenges for eye health R&D due to their prevalence among older peopleand the limitations of current treatments. With the global population of individuals aged 60 and older expected to double to 2.1 billion by 2050, the demand for more effective intervention streating and managing age-related eye diseases is becoming increasingly urgent.
For AMD, which results in aloss of visual clarity and color through degeneration of a bundle of light-sensitive pigments at the back of the eye called the macula, the focus of R&D is to develop treatments that can slow or reverse its progression, and to detect its presence beforevision loss sets in.
Clouding of the eye due to cataracts is treatable with surgery. In order to make global treatment more available, a key challenges for R&D addressing cataracts is making surgery less reliant on specialized infrastructure and equipment, and the development of non-surgical treatments or preventative strategies.
Challenge #2
Chronic diseases affecting vision
Diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma pose significant challenges to eye health R&D due to their biological complexity, asymptomatic early-stages, and the need for continued long-term treatment.
Diabetic Retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that damages retinal blood vessels, leading to vision impairment. The condition is challenging for R&D because it requires approaches for early detection, preventive care, and treatments targeting the underlying vascular damage.
Glaucoma is challenging because it often progresses without symptoms until significant vision loss has occurred through damage to the optic nerve. Earlier and more reliable screening, and treatments preventing or halting progression, are essential as there is currently no cure, only long-term management.
Challenge #3
Loss of distance vision
Out of all the visual impairments associated with refractive errors, myopia has become the top priority for R&D due to its rising global prevalence, especially in children, and the increased incidental risk of more serious eye conditions, including retinal detachment, glaucoma, cataracts, and myopic maculopathy.
To address myopia, research and development is focused on prevention and treatment through methods such as contact lens innovations, eye drops, and glasses, as well as genetic research, environmental interventions, and optical technologies such as laser-assisted surgery. Together, these strategies help reduce the progression of myopia, improve quality of life and ease the financial burden on healthcare systems.
Eye health projects and assets
Review a sample of the six highest performing eye health projects and assets hosted on our online partnering platform.
To read the full summary article for each technology, asset or project, and to connect with the team developing them, you will need to join our online partnering platform.
1. Preventing apoptosis in retinal diseases
Retinal diseases can involve degeneration through apoptosis, leading to more severe expressions of conditions such as Glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Researchers aim to address these conditions by preventing apoptosis, although many treatments taking this approach still have limitations.
At Apogenix , a biotech company in Germany, researchers have developed a drug candidate they call Asunercept, which inhibits apoptosis by targeting the FasL/CD95L pathway. Their treatment has shown promise in treating eye conditions including AMD, Glaucoma, and autoimmune uveitis, as well as in life-threatening skin diseases such as Stevens-Johnson-Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. By blocking the apoptosis pathway for people with these conditions, Asunercept could significantly improve treatment outcomes and improve quality of life. The researchers are seeking industry collaboration to further validate and commercialize their innovation.
2. Tapping into the potential of stem cells for treating corneal blindness
Corneal blindness is the fourth leading cause of vision loss globally. There are over 12 million people on waiting lists for corneal transplants and alternative treatments are limited by the scarcity of donor tissue.
At Tampere University , researchers are tapping into the potential of an ‘unlimited source’ of corncells using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), to create missing or damaged corneal cells. Their technology, StemSight, differentiates iPSCs into specific corneal cellsand consists of two products. The first involves delivering cultured corneal cells on a biodegradable carrier, which surgeons can easily apply. The second uses raw materials to produce corneal endothelial cell sheets, addressing the shortage of corneal transplant tissue. The team are seeking regulatory expertise, investors, and development partners.
3. A new therapeutic approach for diabetic retinopathy
With diabetes projected to affect 642 million people by 2040, the risk of complications including diabetic retinopathy is rising. Diabetic retinopathy is anoutcome of microvascular damage caused by sustained hyperglycemia that can lead to vision degradation. The majority of type 1 diabetics and 60% of type 2 diabetics develop it within 20 years of their diagnosis. Current treatments are limited, primarily targeting the advanced stages of the condition with only temporary success.
With these challenges in mind, researchers at Western University have identified a novel, non-toxic therapeutic approach targeting a long non-coding RNA that inhibits angiogenesis in diabetic retinopathy and related ocular diseases. This non-surgical solution is more effective and stable than current anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies, offering long-term relief by reversing pathological progression. The team is seeking licensing, collaborations, and partnerships.
4. A gene therapy enhancing the function of retinal pigment epithelium
Retinal degenerative diseases, including Stargardt disease, Best disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa, and Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), often involve dysfunction and loss of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The RPE plays an essential role in the health of photoreceptors, performing tasks such as phagocytosis and nutrient transport. Currently, gene therapies face challenges due to the complexity of these diseases, especially those not caused by a single gene defect like AMD.
At University College London , scientists have identified Dbl3 as a novel target to enhance retinal pigment epithelium function and fitness. Dbl3 regulates key processes such as the phagocytic internalization of photoreceptor outer segments, and gene expression. Proof-of-concept studies have shown that Dbl3 gene therapy improves retinal function in various models of retinal degeneration. The UCL researchers are seeking collaboration and investment to further develop their approach.
5. Blocking toxin damage from bacterial eye infections
Staphylococcus aureus is a significant cause of ocular infections such as keratitis and endophthalmitis, which can lead to severe pain, inflammation, and potentially blindness. Current antibiotic treatments fail to address the damage caused by toxins secreted by S. aureus, particularly a-toxin, which forms pores in host cell membranes, leading to cell lysis and inflammation.
Researchers working at the University of Mississippi Medical Center have developed a novel treatment combining β-cyclodextrin and cholesterol to inhibit a-toxin, effectively protecting the cornea during S. aureus infection. Their method can be administered topically or through an injection, serving as an adjunctive therapy to antibiotics. By blocking a-toxin's harmful effects, this innovation is set to significantly reduce corneal damage and improve outcomes for patients infected with S. aureus. The team is seeking development and commercial partners, licensing, and investment.
6. Delivering therapeutics to the subconjunctival space
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness, with an estimated 80 million people affected in 2020. Current treatments focus on lowering intraocular pressure to prevent vision loss. Eye drops, which are the first go-to for treatments,have low patient compliance. New sustained-release therapies for glaucoma coming to market necessitate safe, simple delivery systems that don’t require a surgically trained medical professional as current systems do.
Within this landscape, scientists from the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed an innovative device for delivering therapeutic agents to the subconjunctival space, reducing required dosages, and offering a significant advancement for sustained-release glaucoma treatments. Their device design enables non-surgical personnel to perform the procedure easily and safely. The team is seeking partnerships and investment.
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