Activation of First Clinical Trial Site in the U.S
OKYO Pharma Ltd, a biotech company focused on ophthalmology, has announced the activation of its first clinical trial site in the United States for phase II trials of its dry eye disease treatment, OK-101.
About OK-101
OK-101 is a lipid conjugated chemerin peptide antagonist of the ChemR23 G-protein coupled receptor which is typically found on immune cells of the eye responsible for the inflammatory response. OK-101 was developed using a membrane-anchored-peptide (MAP) technology to produce a novel long-acting drug candidate for treating dry eye disease.
OK-101 has been shown to produce anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing activities in mouse models of dry eye disease and corneal neuropathic pain; and is designed to combat washout through the inclusion of the lipid ‘anchor’ contained in the candidate drug molecule to enhance the residence time of OK-101 within the ocular environment.
The trial will be multi-centred, randomised, double-blinded, and placebo-controlled, and the first patient is expected to be accepted within two weeks.
With approximately 700 million people worldwide suffering from this chronic ocular condition, the drug candidate aims to address a significant unmet need in the multi-billion-dollar dry eye disease market. Using membrane-anchored-peptide technology, OK-101 has demonstrated anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing activities in mouse models with dry eye disease and corneal neuropathic pain.
The candidate drug molecule includes a lipid anchor to combat washout and enhance time on the eyeball. Gary Jacob, CEO of OKYO Pharma, anticipates that clinical evaluation will be completed by year-end.
