Regenera in diabetes patent deal

Perth-based opthamology specialist Regenera (ASX: RGA) today extended its IP portfolio, announcing the assignment on an Australian provisional patent to its subsdiary Retmed.

The patent covers the new application of an existing class of steroids to treat macular and retinal disorders associated with diabetes. Regenera CEO Dr William Ardrey said the compounds were not anti-inflammatory corticosteroids, and were known to target cell permeability.

“With diabetes you get leaky blood cells. What Regenera needed was a class of steroids already used for other uses in the human body, and we have exactly that,” he said.

“The lab work we’ve don’t suggests it works very well in the eye and very well as a co-therapy.”

The application of the steroids was developed by Regenera’s principal scientist, Dr Phillip Penfold.

Regenera currently holds four patents including the patents for the use of the steroid triamciolone acetomide (TA).

TA is currently approved for human use and is used off-label to treat age related macular degeneration. Regenera will undertake a Phase III trial in order to establish the efficacy of the treatment in retinal diseases, and will file for registration with the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the US Food and Drug Administration.

Shares in the company, which listed recently, were up 4 per cent and at time of writing had reached their original issue price of $0.50.