RXi, EyeGate collaborate to develop RNAi therapeutics for retinal disorders

Sep 23 2010

RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation (Nasdaq: RXII), a recognized leader in RNAi-based therapeutics, and EyeGate Pharma, the leader in non-invasive ocular drug delivery announced today that they will collaborate on the ocular delivery of RNAi therapeutics. Each party will contribute technology, expertise, and resources to the collaboration.

“The development of RNAi therapeutics to treat retinal disorders is a key focus for our company, and we are excited to be collaborating with EyeGate to explore new, patient friendly approaches for delivering RNAi therapeutics to the eye”

"The development of RNAi therapeutics to treat retinal disorders is a key focus for our company, and we are excited to be collaborating with EyeGate to explore new, patient friendly approaches for delivering RNAi therapeutics to the eye," said Noah D. Beerman, President and CEO at RXi. "In pre-clinical studies, our sd-rxRNA™ (or self-delivering rxRNA™) compounds have shown effective gene silencing in the retina following intraocular injection. Combining our RNAi technology with EyeGate's unique, non-invasive ocular delivery system (EyeGate® II), provides us with the potential opportunity to develop novel treatments for many ocular diseases and to improve treatment options."

The collaboration will explore the use of EyeGate's iontophoresis technology to deliver RXi's sd-rxRNA compounds to the eye in preclinical models. Iontophoresis is a method of drug delivery that uses a low-level electrical current to deliver a drug across the ocular surface into the eye. Once inside the eye, it is believed that RXi's sd-rxRNA compounds will have access to retinal cells, and by virtue of their self-delivering properties, enter these cells and silence disease causing genes. EyeGate's technology is currently being studied in a Phase III trial with an anti-inflammatory product (EGP-437).

Stephen From, President and CEO of EyeGate Pharma, commented, "Collaborating with RXi reflects our strategy to commercialize innovative products for the ophthalmology community. EyeGate is developing a unique ocular Delivery System, the EyeGate® II, which is a non-invasive drug delivery technology that eliminates ocular injections and the risks associated with them. Our collaboration with RXi will enable us to expand the drug delivery options for the EyeGate II^® Delivery System into RNAi therapeutics, developing new uses and markets for the device, as well as developing more patient friendly treatments for retinal disease based on RXi's sd-rxRNA™ technology."