Kriya Announces Exclusive License and Collaboration Agreement with Everads to Advance Gene Therapies for Prevalent Diseases in Ophthalmology Including Geographic Atrophy
– Everads’ next generation suprachoroidal delivery technology enables targeted drug delivery to the retina, which Kriya intends to use for multiple ophthalmology gene therapy product candidates –
– Kriya is developing a one-time gene therapy designed to block complement C3 and C5, which are clinically validated substrates targeted by FDA approved therapies, to delay the progression of geographic atrophy –
– Kriya anticipates advancing its geographic atrophy gene therapy candidate into the clinic in 2H 2024 –
PALO ALTO, Calif., and RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC — Sept. 27, 2023 — Kriya Therapeutics, Inc. (“Kriya”), a biopharmaceutical company developing gene therapies for conditions affecting millions of people around the world, has entered into an exclusive license, collaboration and supply agreement with Everads Therapy, Ltd (“Everads”) to advance Kriya’s portfolio of gene therapies for retinal diseases using Everads’ suprachoroidal delivery device. Everads is a private biotech company that has developed a novel technology enabling targeted delivery of therapies to the retina via the suprachoroidal space, an anatomical compartment located between the sclera and choroid that traverses the circumference of the posterior segment of the eye. Suprachoroidal delivery is an emerging, non-surgical route of administration in ophthalmology. Specifically in delivery of gene therapy, this route of administration offers the potential to enhance the efficiency of gene therapy delivery to the retina while minimizing intraocular inflammation.
The transaction enables Kriya’s access to Everads’ suprachoroidal delivery technology to deliver multiple prespecified gene therapy product candidates for several ophthalmic diseases, including those involving the complement cascade. Dysregulation of the complement system has been implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of geographic atrophy. Kriya’s approach is a one-time adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy that drives the expression of a CR2-CR1 (complement receptor 2‑complement receptor 1) fusion protein that is designed to inhibit complement C3 and C5. These are also targeted by the first two FDA-approved treatments for geographic atrophy which require monthly or bi-monthly intraocular injections.
“We are excited about the potential to advance a gene therapy that blocks both complement C3 and C5, which are validated biological targets for the treatment of geographic atrophy,” said Shankar Ramaswamy, M.D., Co-Founder and CEO of Kriya. “Our collaboration with Everads aligns with our vision to implement next generation delivery technologies that can optimize AAV delivery to the eye via one-time administration, which has the potential to substantially reduce patient burden associated with repeated intravitreal injections or subretinal surgical approaches.”
“We believe that our suprachoroidal delivery technology provides a potential leap forward for novel eye care therapies. Our proprietary, geometrically-optimized non-sharp tissue separator opens a path into the suprachoroidal space, enabling a more convenient tangential injection that can support rapid and extensive drug distribution,” said Moshe Weinstein, Executive Chair & CEO of Everads. “We are excited to partner with Kriya to enable delivery of cutting-edge gene therapy via the suprachoroidal space that may ultimately improve the quality of life for patients with geographic atrophy.”
Kriya’s gene therapy candidate for geographic atrophy has the following potential benefits:
- One-time AAV administration may substantially lower the patient burden imposed by currently approved treatments for geographic atrophy that require monthly or bimonthly intraocular injections – while also delivering multiyear efficacy in the setting of a progressive degenerative disease;
- Continuous expression of the CR2-CR1 fusion protein results in potent inhibition of the complement cascade by the CR1 domain designed to block C3 and C5, while also through the action of the CR2 domain, targeting this inhibition to the site of complement fragment deposition on damaged cell surfaces; and
- Administration via the suprachoroidal space has the potential to maximize transduction of retinal cells while minimizing inflammation that can be associated with intravitreal and other routes of administration.
“Geographic atrophy causes a debilitating loss of vision that can dramatically impact the lives of patients — we are in dire need of effective and conveniently administered therapies that slow or halt the progression of this disease,” said Quan Dong Nguyen, M.D., M.Sc., FARVO, FASRS, Professor of Ophthalmology at the Byers Eye Institute, and Professor of Medicine and Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine. “I am quite optimistic and convinced that innovative therapies will continue to improve the lives of people with geographic atrophy and other serious ophthalmic diseases. A gene therapy targeting the C3 and C5 pathways delivered by a suprachoroidal injection may be a significant improvement in the treatment of geographic atrophy.”
About Geographic Atrophy (GA)
Geographic Atrophy is an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD) and affects approximately 1 million people in the United States. It is caused by the growth of lesions, which destroy the retinal cells responsible for vision, resulting in progressive and irreversible vision loss. People suffering from geographic atrophy experience blind spots, impaired facial recognition, decreased reading and low light driving ability, severely impairing their independence and quality of life. Geographic atrophy accounts for 20% of cases of legal blindness in North America. (Sources: Rudnicka. Ophthalmol. 2012; Wong. Lancet Glob Health. 2014; Patel. Clin Opthalmol. 2020.)
About Kriya Therapeutics
Our mission is to revolutionize medicine, with the ultimate goal of eliminating human suffering and enabling people to live without the burden of disease. Kriya is a biopharmaceutical company developing gene therapies to address diseases affecting millions of people around the world. With operations in Palo Alto, California and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, Kriya has raised over $600 million in committed capital, which will be used to advance a broad pipeline of gene therapies for ophthalmology, neurology and metabolic disease. For more information, please visit www.kriyatx.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X (Formerly Twitter).
About Everads Therapy
Everads Therapy is a biotech company focused on optimizing treatment of retinal diseases using its proprietary suprachoroidal delivery technology. With the aim of overcoming challenges in current treatment methodologies for retinal and macular diseases, Everads’ delivery platform offers the promise of improving the efficacy and safety of existing and potential drug therapies via suprachoroidal delivery. Everads has a number of collaborations in the areas of gene therapy, cell therapy, small molecule formulations and other modalities. Everads was spun out of DALI Medical Devices, a company specializing in development of injectable drug delivery technologies, and established within RAD Biomed, a leading biotech incubator in Israel. Everads’ underlying technologies were licensed from the Sheba Tel Hashomer Medical Center/Sheba Impact. For more information, please visit www.everads-therapy.com and follow us on LinkedIn.