Ripple Therapeutics Partners with AbbVie to Develop Intracameral Implant for Glaucoma

Ripple Therapeutics announced a collaboration and option-to-license agreement with AbbVie to advance the development of RTC-620, a fully biodegradable, sustained-release intracameral implant designed to reduce IOP in patients suffering from open-angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension (OHT).

This partnership brings together Ripple’s drug delivery platform and AbbVie’s experience in ophthalmic therapeutics and will focus on the development of RTC-620, a next-generation implant capable of delivering long-term, repeatable treatment with minimal patient intervention.

As part of the agreement, Ripple will lead the preclinical development of RTC-620. Upon exercising its option, AbbVie will take the lead in clinical development and commercialization of the implant. Ripple will receive an upfront payment of $21.8 million, and the company stands to gain up to $290 million in option fees and development milestones. In addition, Ripple is eligible for tiered royalties on net sales once the product reaches the market.

Ripple’s proprietary technology is built on a unique platform that eliminates the need for polymers or excipients, typically used in sustained-release systems. This breakthrough allows drugs to be engineered into controlled-release pharmaceuticals that rely on surface erosion for zero-order release kinetics. The highly customizable system allows for precise control over both dosage and duration of drug delivery. Once the drug is depleted, the implant fully degrades without leaving behind harmful byproducts, enabling repeat dosing with minimal inflammation, according to Ripple.