RXi Pharmaceuticals Corp. has developed a comprehensive therapeutic platform based on RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics to treat a number of diseases, scarring and retinal disorders. The company today announced its partnership with EyeGate Pharma, a leader in non-invasive ocular drug delivery, to collaborate on the ocular delivery of RNAi therapeutics.
Per the agreement, both companies will contribute technology, expertise, and resources to develop ocular treatments.
“The development of RNAi therapeutics to treat retinal disorders is a key focus for our company, and we are excited to be collaborating with EyeGate to explore new, patient friendly approaches for delivering RNAi therapeutics to the eye,” Noah D. Beerman, president and CEO of RXi stated in the press release. “In pre-clinical studies, our sd-rxRNA™ (or self-delivering rxRNA™) compounds have shown effective gene silencing in the retina following intraocular injection. Combining our RNAi technology with EyeGate’s unique, non-invasive ocular delivery system (EyeGate® II), provides us with the potential opportunity to develop novel treatments for many ocular diseases and to improve treatment options.”
The companies’ collaborative efforts will use EyeGate’s iontophoresis technology to deliver RXi’s sd-rxRNA compounds to the eye in preclinical models. EyeGate’s iontophoresis drug delivery method drives low-level electrical currents to administer a drug across the ocular surface of the eye. From here, the companies said they believe RXi’s sd-rxRNA compounds will enter the retinal cells and thwart disease causing genes.
Stephen From, president and CEO of EyeGate, said its partnership with RXi mirrors EyeGate’s mission to expand applications and market presence for its technology.
“Collaborating with RXi reflects our strategy to commercialize innovative products for the ophthalmology community. EyeGate is developing a unique ocular Delivery System, the EyeGate II, which is a non-invasive drug delivery technology that eliminates ocular injections and the risks associated with them. Our collaboration with RXi will enable us to expand the drug delivery options for the EyeGate II Delivery System into RNAi therapeutics, developing new uses and markets for the device, as well as developing more patient friendly treatments for retinal disease based on RXi’s sd-rxRNA technology,” From stated.
For more information visit www.rxipharma.com or www.eyegatepharma.com
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