Regeneron Acquires UK-Based Biotech Oxular

Regeneron has acquired Oxular, a clinical stage company making ocular delivery technology for retinal disorders.

The news of the aquisition was made from a LinkedIn post from Oxular CEO Mark Gaffney. 

"The ophthalmology team at Regeneron is uniquely positioned to maximize the use of Oxular’s proprietary technologies. A special thank you to all of the employees, advisors, Board members and shareholders who made this transaction possible. I wish each of you all the best in your next ventures," Mr. Gaffney, who recently named CEO of Calluna Pharma. 

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. While neither company made a formal announcement, in an email, a Regeneron spokeswoman told Eyewire+, "This was a targeted acquisition that provides us with a potential best-in-class delivery device for our future ocular gene therapies, with the goal of accelerating the time it will take to reach clinical readiness."

Oxular's lead candidate is OXU-001 for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). OXU-001 is dexamethasone formulated in a novel biodegradable drug preparation known as Oxuspheres. OXU-001 is optimized for delivery to the posterior suprachoroidal space of the eye via Oxulumis, Oxular’s proprietary illuminated microcatheter. This in-office treatment enables routine access closer to the ocular tissues with high disease activity, which could lead to enhanced efficacy, favorable tolerability, and extended durability of up to 1 year. In October 2023, Oxular dosed the first patient in OXEYE, a two-part, randomized phase 2 trial in patients with DME that is designed to evaluate a single administration of suprachoroidal OXU-001 over 52 weeks.