Nicox Announces Publication of NCX 470 Results Demonstrating Improvements to Ocular Hemodynamics and Retinal Cell Physiology
Nicox SA announced that the results from studies on the beneficial effects of NCX 470 in a nonclinical model of endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced ischemia/reperfusion damage of the optic nerve head and retina have been published online in the peer-reviewed Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
NCX 470, Nicox’s lead clinical product candidate, is a nitric oxide (NO)-donating prostaglandin eye drop currently in Phase 3 clinical development for the lowering of IOP in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
“Based on recently published Phase 2 results, NCX 470 potentially has best-in-class intraocular pressure lowering efficacy in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension,” said Doug Hubatsch, Chief Scientific Officer of Nicox. “These new results suggest that NCX 470 improves ocular hemodynamics and retinal function in an endothelin-1 induced rabbit model of retinal ischemia compared to vehicle and therefore it may have beneficial therapeutic properties over and above its intraocular pressure lowering activity, which could mean additional benefits over other treatments. Whilst elevated intraocular pressure is the main modifiable risk factor in glaucoma, a variety of other factors, including impaired ocular blood flow, are thought to contribute to damage of the optic nerve head and the retina, ultimately causing vision loss. Therefore, new treatments should aim to do more than just lowering of intraocular pressure.”
NCX 470 is currently being evaluated in two multiregional Phase 3 clinical trials, Mont Blanc and Denali. The statistical objective of these two Phase 3 trials is to demonstrate noninferiority, and if successful, statistical superiority in IOP lowering of once-daily dosed NCX 470 ophthalmic solution 0.1% over latanoprost ophthalmic solution 0.005% (first marketed as Xalatan), the most prescribed prostaglandin analog in the United States for patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.