Clinical-stage biotechnology PYC Therapeutics (ASX:PYC) has identified improvements in patients dosed with its a VP-001 drug candidate.
PYC is creating precision therapies for patients with genetic diseases and no treatment options available and VP-001 is currently progressing through multiple concurrent clinical trials in patients with a blinding eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa type 11 (RP11).
The study has obtained promising results for two of the three patients enrolled in cohort 4 of the ongoing Single Ascending Dose (SAD) study at 3-months of follow-up.
The three patients received a single 75 microgram dose of VP-001 in their worst affected eye and two out of the three RP11 patients have had enhanced retinal sensitivity across the entire macula at three months of follow up when compared to baseline.
The macula is an important part of the retina that is densely populated by photoreceptors (the specialised cells that create the visual signal) and is responsible for central vision, most colour-vision and our ability to perceive fine visual details.
All three patients from cohort 4 in the SAD have enrolled in the part B extension study and will receive multiple doses of VP-001 (75 micrograms in the study eye).
Patient 1 was the first patient to enrol in the part B extension study and has already received a second dose of the drug candidate in their study eye10.
Patient 2 has enrolled in the extension study and their second dose is currently being scheduled.
Patient 3 (who has not seen a quantifiable visual functional improvement on microperimetry assessment) is reporting visual functional improvement in the VP-001 treated eye and has consequently enrolled in the part B extension study. This patient has now received their second dose of VP-001.
