ViGeneron Announces First Patient Dosed in Phase 1b Clinical Trial of VG901 for the Intravitreal Treatment of Retinitis Pigmentosa

• VG901 is the first and only clinical-stage therapy designed to deliver a functional CNGA1 gene to retinal photoreceptor target cells in retinitis pigmentosa patients
• VG901, using ViGeneron’s proprietary next-generation technology platform vgAAV, is administered intravitreally (IVT), offering enhanced ease of delivery, broader vector distribution, and mitigating the risk of retinal damage linked with subretinal administration
• VG901 granted Orphan Drug Designation by FDA

MUNICH, Germany, April 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ViGeneron GmbH, a next-generation clinical-stage gene therapy company, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase Ib clinical trial evaluating intravitreal injection of VG901 to treat retinitis pigmentosa (RP) caused by mutations in the CNGA1 gene. This milestone marks an important advance as the company continues to leverage its next-generation technology platforms to develop groundbreaking gene therapies addressing critical unmet medical needs.

“By delivering a functional CNGA1 gene to retinal photoreceptor target cells, VG901 offers a therapeutic potential in addressing the genetic root cause for patients with retinitis pigmentosa affected by CNGA1 mutations,” commented Prof. Dr. Katarina Stingl, Head of the Clinic for Hereditary Retinal Degenerations in the Center for Ophthalmology and the Center for Rare Eye Diseases at the University of Tübingen, Germany, and the Principal Investigator for this trial. “We are excited to learn about the potential of this novel therapy and hope to make a meaningful difference to patients’ lives.”

“Dosing our first patient in the VG901 Phase Ib clinical trial is a significant step forward for the company and for the patients we aim to benefit. VG901 has also been granted FDA Orphan Drug Designation status. We look forward to progressing the clinical development of this potentially transformative therapy,” said Dr. Caroline Man Xu, ViGeneron’s Co-founder and CEO. “Not only is the Phase Ib trial designed to provide key insights into the safety and preliminary efficacy of VG901, it is also a pivotal step in validating our next generation vector platform vgAAV, which has demonstrated superior transduction efficiency and enables intravitreal delivery.”

The on-going Phase Ib clinical trial is an open-label, single-arm, dose-escalation study investigating the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of an intravitreal injection of VG901, a first-in-class CNGA1 gene therapy for autosomal recessive RP. For more information on the trial, please visit clinicaltrial.gov [NCT06291935].

About Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of related eye disorders that cause progressive vision loss. RP initially presents as nighttime blindness during childhood or early adulthood, progressing to peripheral visual field loss and “tunnel vision”, central visual impairment, reduced visual acuity, and ultimately, complete blindness. Retinitis pigmentosa is the most common type of inherited retinal diseases (IRDs). It is estimated to affect 1 in 3,500 to 1 in 4,000 people in the United States and Europe, respectively. Mutations in the CNGA1 gene, encoding a subunit of CNG channels in rod photoreceptors, are reported to cause approximately 2% - 8% of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP).

About ViGeneron GmbH

ViGeneron is dedicated to bringing gene therapy innovations to people in need. The company is advancing its proprietary, clinical-stage gene therapy pipeline to treat ophthalmic diseases, while partnering with leading biopharmaceutical players in retinal diseases, CNS, cardiovascular and other disease areas. ViGeneron’s three novel next-generation gene therapy platforms are geared towards addressing the limitations of existing adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapies. The first, the vgAAV vector platform, enables a superior transduction efficiency of target cells and is designed to overcome biological barriers, thus enabling novel, less invasive routes of administration such as intravitreal and systemic administration. The second, the REVeRT (REconstitution Via mRNA Trans-splicing) technology platform, allows for efficient reconstitution of large genes (>5kb) in any tissue which can be targeted with a given capsid. The third, the AAV Transactivation is a CRISPR-Cas–based AAV gene therapy platform that enables the regulation of one or multiple genes in vivo by increasing or inhibiting their expression. Privately-owned ViGeneron was founded in 2017 by a seasoned team with in-depth experience in AAV vector technology and clinical ophthalmic gene therapy programs and is located in Munich, Germany. For further information, please visit www.vigeneron.com.