OcuTerra Therapeutics has commenced phase 1b clinical trials of its OTT166 eye drops for patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and wet AMD, having demonstrated their safety, tolerability and clinical evidence of biological activity.

Designed to be patient-administered, OTT166 is an integrin inhibitor that allows earlier, non-invasive treatment, so potentially delaying or even eliminating the need for intravitreal injections, said the company. The current standard of care for DR patients is ‘watch and wait’ until vision deteriorates due to diabetic macular oedema or the disease progresses to the proliferative form, said Kerrie Brady, CEO of OcuTerra. “Our mission is to transform the standard of care with OTT166 to offer a non-invasive, easy to administer, effective treatment that can be prescribed earlier in the disease course by a broader range of eyecare providers to avoid sight-threatening complications and stop disease progression.”

OcuTerra also announced the close of its US$35 million Series B financing, which will support the Diabetic Retinopathy – Early Active Management (DR-EAM) phase 2 study of the treatment, which is expected to commence in early 2022.