Target Conditions

Keratoconus

Keratoconus1,2, often referred to as ‘KC’, is an eye condition in which the cornea weakens and thins over time, causing the development of a cone-like bulge and optical irregularity of the cornea. Keratoconus can result in significant visual loss and may lead to corneal transplant in severe cases.

  • Onset begins in teens to early 20s with vision worsening over a period of about 10 to 30 years
  • Often affects both eyes and can lead to different vision between the two eyes
  • Symptoms can change over time and differ in each eye

Early-stage KC symptoms can include:

  • Mild blurring of vision
  • Slightly distorted vision 
  • Increased sensitivity to light and glare
  • Eye redness or swelling

Later stage KC symptoms often include:

  • More blur and increased distorted vision

IVMED-80 is a daily eye drop that can flatten the cornea by increasing collagen crosslinking. It works by activating an enzyme called Lysyl Oxidase (LOX). 

IVMED-80 successfully completed a phase 1/2a clinical trial in 2021. In July 2022 IVMED-80 was licesend to Glaukos.  All develop and commercialization activities for IVMED-80 are now being conducted by Glaukos.

Myopia

People who have myopia3 (also known as nearsightedness) have difficulty seeing distant objects but can see objects that are near clearly. Myopia is common and affects a significant percentage of the population. It’s an eye focus disorder that is easily corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses or surgery.

Today one in four parents has a child with some degree of nearsightedness. Some eye experts believe that if your child spends an extraordinary amount of time engaged in “near” activities, such as reading or using smartphones and computers, it may raise the risk of developing myopia.

Myopia usually appears in childhood and can worsen with age. Because the light coming into your eyes is not focused correctly, images appear to be unclear. Myopia progression has been linked to more severe sight-threatening complications later in life, including retinal detachment, myopic maculopathy, glaucoma and cataracts4–8.

IVMED-85 is a daily eye drop that strengthens scleral and corneal collagen crosslinks through LOX activation, potentially leading to improved refraction and a decrease in the rate of axial elongation. IVMED-85 is expected to begin a Phase 2 clinical study in progressive myopia in 2024.

 

References: 1. American Academy of Ophthalmology 2. Living With Keratoconus 3. Cleveland Clinic 4. Xu L, et al. Ophthalmology. 2007. 5. Flitcroft DI. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2013. 6. Younan C, et al. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2002. 7. Chen SJ, et al. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2012. 8. Chamberlain P, et al. Optom Vis Sci. 2019.