Allegro Ophthalmics

Allegro Ophthalmics describes itself as a “mid-stage biotech company.” Its lead agent, Luminate, is an integrin peptide therapy that is the subject of a number of Phase II trials, including a trial that released topline data in September on its efficacy in vitreomacular traction.

Other Phase IIb trials in progress are investigating Luminate for the treatment of progression of diabetic retinopathy in posterior vitreomacular detachment (PVD) and diabetic macular edema (DME).

“What we bring to the space with Luminate is a different mechanism of action, a new class of drug that’s anti-integrin rather than anti-VEGF,” Chief Technology Officer and co-founder Vicken Karagozian, MD, told OIS@AAO. “More than three-month durability in DME and wet AMD have been shown in human Phase Ib and IIa studies, and, interestingly enough, these trials have also shown robust vitreolysis.”

Other potential indications include wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and vitreomacular traction (VMT), he said.

In more than 400 intravitreal injections, Luminate has been shown to have an excellent safety profile, Dr. Karagozian said. A head-to-head Phase IIb trial comparing the agent with ocriplasmin (Jetrea, ThromboGenics) for VMT showed Luminate had a VMT release rate of 65% versus 26% for ocriplasmin, he added.

Looking further into vitreolysis, the Phase IIb study results announced in September showed Luminate had a dosing interval of 12 weeks compared with 4 to 8 weeks for anti-VEGF agents, Dr. Karagozian said.

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