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Developing multi-specific aptamers for safe, potent, and long-lasting treatment of geographic atrophy

Award Number: R44EY033265
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2024

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Developing multi-specific aptamers for safe, potent, and long-lasting treatment of geographic atrophy - PROJECT ABSTRACT Geographic atrophy (GA) is a leading cause of blindness, affecting ~1.5 million Americans. There is currently no treatment for GA; in consequence, GA patients continually lose vision, and nearly half of them are legally blind. The complement pathway is part of the immune system and is activated by age-related pathologic changes in the eye. Extensive genetics studies, animal model studies, and clinical observations have established the complement pathway as the most promising therapeutic target for treating GA. Two late-stage anti-complement programs have both reported significant inhibition of GA progression, further substantiating the therapeutic potential of targeting complements. However, the current programs suffer from short duration and poor safety profile. Therefore, a safer and longer-lasting anti- complement program is clearly needed. The purpose of this SBIR project is to develop a multi-specific aptamer-based therapeutics that has the potential to overcome the limitation of existing anti-complement programs, and achieve safe, potent, and durable GA treatment for the first time. To that end, the Aptitude team has accumulated extensive experience in aptamer discovery. We have previously developed the Particle Display method that significantly improves the aptamer performance. We have also performed significant preliminary studies to prove the feasibility of constructing multi-specific aptamers. Our expertise in aptamer discovery is complemented by our collaborators’ expertise in GA preclinical research and clinical trials. If successful, this project has the potential of bringing a highly efficacious and long-acting treatment to GA patients.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = -$32,288 )
2025	2022	APTITUDE MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC	125 CREMONA DR	GOLETA	CA	93117	SANTA BARBARA	USA	Vision Research	000	1	3/17/2025	NEW	-$32,288
														Subtotal = -$32,288

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2024	2022	APTITUDE MEDICAL SYSTEMS INC	125 CREMONA DR	GOLETA	CA	93117	SANTA BARBARA	USA	Vision Research	000	1	11/8/2023	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $247,641 )
2022	2022	APTITUDE MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.	125 CREMONA DR # 100	GOLETA	CA	93117	SANTA BARBARA	USA	Vision Research	000	1	6/16/2022	NEW	$247,641
														Subtotal = $247,641

Grand Total All Awards = $215,353

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Developing multi-specific aptamers for safe, potent, and long-lasting treatment of geographic atrophy

Award Number: R44EY033265

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2024

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