Narayana Nethralaya Foundation, India, licenses repurposed compound RP0217 for the treatment of ocular diseases

Cambridge, UK – 10th December 2019 – Cresset Discovery Services, provider of contract research services for early phase discovery, is pleased to announce that Narayana Nethralaya Foundation (NNF), which conducts translational ophthalmic research, in association with Narayana Nethralaya, a specialty eye care hospital in Bangalore India, has licensed the repurposed compound RP0217 for the treatment of ocular diseases. The novel anti-inflammatory activity of RP0217 was discovered by Cresset, based on the work of Prof. Rod Flower of the William Harvey Research Institute, and utilizing Cresset’s powerful computational chemistry technologies.

“As RP0217 is a repurposed compound there is already a wealth of clinical safety data for systemic indications,” explains Dr Robert Scoffin, Chief Executive Officer at Cresset. “the novel anti-inflammatory activity of the compound, which Cresset hold a number of patents on, shows great promise for the treatment of a wide variety of conditions. We are pleased to be partnering with one of the world’s leading eye care institutes in the further development of the compound, with a view to increasing treatment options for patients with debilitating ophthalmic diseases.”

“We have licenced RP0217 to further our research into uveitis, an inflammation of the middle layer of the eye, called the uvea or uveal tract, that can cause blindness, as well as ocular surface conditions” says Dr Arkasubhra Ghosh, Head of Molecular Signalling and Gene Therapy at Narayana Nethralaya Foundation. “We hope to eventually bring to market a drug to cure such chronic and recurrent conditions that affect approximately 1 in 5,000 individuals per year globally.”