Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common form of irreversible blindness in the world, affecting 50 million people with direct costs of $255 billion in the United States annually. Approximately 25% of people over 80 years of age suffer from this condition.
In dry AMD and geographic atrophy, a more advanced form of the disease, cellular processes within retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells are damaged. These cells are then unable to perform their critical role in maintaining healthy photoreceptors, which are necessary for vision. As the disease progresses, loss of retinal cells results in permanent vision loss known as geographic atrophy (GA).
Several key cellular processes – autophagy, protein trafficking and lipid metabolism – are known to be dysregulated in dry AMD. Zervimesine (also CT1812) is a small molecule, oral medication capable of crossing the blood-retinal barrier and shown to reach the back of the retina without an injection. As a selective sigma-2 antagonist, zervimesine binds to the sigma-2 receptor on retinal pigment epithelial cells to restore the waste removal function that maintains healthy photoreceptors needed for vision.
- It has been demonstrated in animal models that oral zervimesine is delivered to the eye in quantities believed to be therapeutic.
- Cognition is currently assessing the pharmacokinetics and behavioral characteristics of zervimesine.
Phase 2 Magnify study:
- We are currently undertaking a Phase 2 study in adults who have a diagnosis of dry age-related macular degeneration with measurable geographic atrophy.
- For more information, please visit https://magnifydryamdstudy.com or clinicatrials.gov and reference NCT05893537