Eyevensys, a private biotechnology company developing its proprietary EyeCET platform, has received approval from the French product security regulatory agency 'Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament' (ANSM) to advance its technology into clinical development.
The EyeCET platform uses Eyevensys' proprietary electro-transfection injection system (ETIS) to deliver plasmids that encode for the production of disease-specific therapeutic proteins in the ciliary muscle of the eye. Eyevensys' lead product, EYS606 uses a plasmid encoding for the production of anti-TNFa for the treatment of Non-infectious Uveitis (NIU). EYS606 has been granted an Orphan drug designation by the EMA for the treatment of NIU.
Raffy Kazandjian, chief executive officer of Eyevensys, said: "This clearance from the ANSM is a landmark achievement for Eyevensys given the unique features of EYS606, which combines an anti-TNFa plasmid with a novel and unique medical device, designed to carry out an electroporation procedure. We are now in a position to demonstrate that our EyeCET technology can provide ophthalmology patients with much needed and improved treatment options. We plan to start our first phase I trial with EYS606 shortly."
Eyevensys is a private biotechnology company developing its innovative EyeCET platform to enable the sustained intraocular production of therapeutic proteins to treat a broad range of ophthalmic diseases.
Eyevensys' EyeCET technology uses electroporation to deliver protein coding plasmids, which are safe and non-viral, into the ciliary muscle of the eye. This approach facilitates the sustained production of therapeutic proteins, localized within the ciliary muscle cells.
Eyevensys believes its EyeCET technology can improve both short and long-term therapeutic outcomes by greatly enhancing patient compliance and significantly improving the tolerability of treatment.
Eyevensys' lead product EYS606, which uses a non-viral plasmid encoding anti-TNFa, is a potential new treatment for patients with Non-infectious Uveitis (NIU). EYS606 consists of Eyevensys' proprietary electro-transfection injection system (ETIS) in combination with a plasmid encoding for the production of an anti-TNFa, a cytokine that has been shown to play a pivotal role in mediating intraocular inflammation in NIU. EYS606 has been granted an Orphan drug designation by the EMA for the treatment of NIU.
Eyevensys was founded in 2008. It is headquartered in Paris, France, and is funded by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, BPIFrance, CapDecisif, Inserm Transfert and Pontifax.