Nicox Presents First Data on New Class of Nitric Oxide (NO)-Donating Compounds for Glaucoma at ARVO

Nicox SA announced that it has presented the first data from a new drug class designed to lower IOP (NO-donating PDE5 inhibitors) at a poster presentation during the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO). The first lead molecule from the NO-donating PDE5 inhibitor program shows a substantial lowering of IOP in a non-human primate model of ocular hypertension.

“Our innovative nitric oxide donating research platform has generated a highly promising new compound to expand our industry-leading glaucoma portfolio,” Michele Garufi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Nicox, said in a company news release. “While our first generation NO-donating drug Vyzulta is marketed by partner Bausch + Lomb, we expect to report phase 2 topline results for our advanced second generation compound NCX 470 in Q4 of this year.  Moreover, we are aiming to confirm a lead clinical candidate from the NO-donating PDE5 inhibitor program for further development in 2020.”

Nicox is focusing its research activities on combining NO-donation with other complementary mechanisms of action which are not currently utilized in any approved ophthalmic product, including PDE5 inhibition and soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulation. Molecules from these classes could be developed either as adjunctive therapies or in fixed-dose combinations with latanoprost or other PGAs for IOP lowering.

New data presented by Nicox at ARVO

• NCX 1741, a novel NO-donating derivative of the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor avanafil, reduces IOP in models of ocular hypertension and glaucoma
• Concomitant dosing of the NO-donor NCX 667 (1%) and Xalatan (latanoprost ophthalmic solution 0.005%) results in robust and sustained IOP-lowering in ocular normotensive dogs)
• Nonclinical development of NCX 470, a novel NO-donating, IOP lowering prostaglandin analog for glaucoma and ocular hypertension 
• Preclinical Evaluation of NCX 4251, a Novel Steroid Therapy for Blepharitis, Targeted Directly to the Eyelid Margin to Reduce the Potential for IOP Elevations