TopiVert’s gives dry eye syndrome candidate to first patient, waits results in second half of 2017

TopiVert Pharma has kicked off the clinical testing of its dry eye syndrome (DES) treatment TOP1630 by dosing the first patient.

A UK-based private clinical-stage biotechnology company developing Narrow Spectrum Kinase Inhibitors (NSKIs) for the treatment of chronic inflammatory gastrointestinal (GI) and ocular diseases, has triggered the phase 1/2a proof of concept study in the US of TOP1630 ophthalmic solution for the treatment of the DES.

This is the TopiVert’s lead NSKI for ophthalmology, and it demonstrating efficacy in in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical inflammatory models is a major step for the company. When administered as eye drops, TOP1630 is absorbed and retained in target inflammatory cells in the cornea and with only minimal systemic exposure, making it an ideal topical eye therapy, the company says.

The current study is expected to report in the second half of this year. Furthermore, TopiVert is also expecting the proof of concept data for TOP1288 in ulcerative colitis at the same time.

Ajay Duggal, TopiVert’s Chief Medical Officer, said: “This is an exciting time for TopiVert as it seeks clinical validation of its NSKI technology in two different inflammatory diseases.”