Eye Co gets European patent for eye disease drug

Melbourne-based ocular technology company Eye Co has secured a European patent for a new class of drugs to treat eye disease.

The patent covers a class of steroids to treat diabetic eye disease. It grants protection to Eye Co’s method of formulation and administration of the steroids known as mieralocortocoids.

The treatments Eye Co has been developing from the platform - including lead candidate VistaMR - are designed to treat fluid leakage and build-up in the back of the eye as a result of blood vessel damage.

This condition affects up to 90% of diabetics and is one of the leading causes of untreatable blindness worldwide. Existing therapies are costly and risk side effects including cataract formation.

Eye Co Chief Scientist Professor Philip Penfold said there are two classes of nuclear receptors that mediate the steroid response - the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR).

“To date, most ocular steroid applications have largely triggered the GR pathway which is associated with a higher risk of side effects, including cataract formation,” he said.

“Our approach to target exudation through MR pathways largely avoids the potential for this kind of debilitating side effect. Basically we are using Australian research partners to target a different pathway, for an improved response.”