PharmAbcine, a clinical-stage public company developing next generation therapeutics to treat medical unmet needs, announced today the decision to advance PMC-403, its candidate treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), to the fourth single-dose group of 4mg and first multiple-dose group of 3mg in Phase 1 clinical trial.

PMC-403 is a novel TIE2-activating antibody with the mechanism of stabilizing pathological and leaky blood vessels. TIE2 receptors, expressed on endothelial cells, are involved in vessel normalization processes such as angiogenesis and intercellular adhesion.

This Phase 1 trial targets patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration who are no longer responding to anti-VEGF standard therapeutics. With the SRC's decision, the trial will advance to the highest single dose cohort (4mg) and the first multiple ascending dose cohort (3mg), potentially providing more advanced data from this Phase 1 study.

Dr. Weon Sup Lee, Head of R&D and Chief Technology Officer at PharmAbcine, stated, "Despite standard anti-VEGF treatments, many patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration continue to experience vision loss and retinal vascular leakage. We are committed to delivering an innovative new drug with differentiated mode of action for these patients." He added, "If final safety is confirmed in this Phase 1 trial, the likelihood of advancing to Phase 2 will increase, paving the way for the commercialization of this treatment."

Macular degeneration is a leading cause of blindness caused by aging-related damage to the retina, particularly due to abnormal blood vessels in the macula. The global aging population has led to a rapid increase in macular degeneration cases, and current standard treatments with anti-VEGF inhibitors are insufficient for complete treatment. Consequently, there is a growing demand for new mechanism therapies.

Once PharmAbcine's PMC-403 secures safety at the highest dose cohort (4mg), it could play a crucial role in treating macular degeneration. As the likelihood of moving to Phase 2 clinical trials increases, PMC-403 is expected to provide a new treatment option for macular degeneration patients worldwide.