Neurophth and Abogen Biosciences Announce Strategic Collaboration to Co-Develop mRNA Therapeutics for Retinal Diseases

On June 22, 2022, Neurophth, a leader in in vivo gene therapy for ophthalmic diseases in China, announced a strategic partnership with Abogen Biosciences to jointly develop a new drug research project using lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery of mRNA for the treatment of retinal diseases.

This collaboration aims to combine Neurophth's in-depth understanding of ocular diseases, leading gene therapy product development technology platform, and strengths, with Abogen’s proprietary mRNA and LNP delivery technology advantages. Both parties will jointly develop mRNA novel drugs and explore new treatment methods for retinal diseases.

Professor Li Bin

Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Neurophth

"This powerful collaboration with Abogen will further expand and enrich Neurophth's gene therapy development platform and pipeline," said Professor Bin Li, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Neurophth. "Abogen is a leading mRNA drug research and development company in China and one of the few companies in the industry that owns proprietary intellectual property rights to lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technology. LNP is currently the most advanced mRNA delivery carrier used in clinical applications. We believe this delivery technology has tremendous potential in ophthalmic medicine and can unlock new approaches for novel drug development targeting retinal diseases. Neurophth will work tirelessly alongside the Abogen team to strive for the development of China’s first-in-class mRNA drug for retinal diseases."

Dr. Abogen

Founder and CEO of Abogen

Dr. Ying Bo, founder and CEO of Abogen, stated: “Abogen's mission is to leverage its proprietary internationally patented mRNA technology platform to develop groundbreaking innovative medical products that address unmet clinical needs. Through the experience gained in the development of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine project, the advantages of our mRNA platform have been fully validated. Neurophth is a leading ophthalmic gene therapy research and development company in China. This collaboration will utilize Abogen’s mRNA technology platform and Neurophth’s gene therapy development platform to focus on the development of innovative drugs in the field of ophthalmic diseases, providing services to more patients through mRNA technology.”

About Neurophth

Neurophth is a leader in the field of in vivo gene therapy for ophthalmic diseases in China. With subsidiaries in Wuhan, Suzhou, Shanghai, and San Diego, USA, Neurophth is committed to developing gene therapies for inherited diseases for patients worldwide. Investigator-initiated trial data on retinal disease gene therapy has successfully validated our AAV platform, with results published in Nature-Scientific Report, Ophthalmology, and EBioMedicine. Our core product, NR082, which aims to treat ND4-mediated Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (ND4-LHON), has been granted Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) by the US FDA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). It is the first gene therapy drug developed in China to receive clinical trial IND approval from both the Chinese NMPA and the US FDA. Currently, based on Phase I/II clinical trial data, an agreement has been reached with the CDE regarding the Phase III clinical trial protocol. The company’s pipeline also includes preclinical candidates for ND1-mediated LHON (the company’s second drug granted ODD by the US FDA), autosomal dominant optic atrophy, optic nerve protection, and vascular retinopathy. Neurophth has initiated internal production expansion at its Suzhou facility to support future commercial needs. For more information about us and our expanding pipeline, please visit www.neurophth.com.

About Abogen

Abogen, founded in 2019, is an innovative biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the research and development of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) drugs. Since its establishment, the company has built a rich product pipeline covering areas such as infectious disease prevention and cancer immunotherapy, leveraging its industry-leading, proprietary mRNA and nanodelivery technology platforms. In June 2020, the mRNA vaccine for the novel coronavirus jointly developed by the company, the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and Walvax Biotech received clinical trial approval from the National Medical Products Administration, becoming the first mRNA vaccine approved for clinical trials in China. The vaccine is currently in Phase III clinical trials. In November 2021, the company obtained the Drug Manufacturing License for its COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.