Kiora Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has been granted patents in the United States and Europe that cover the local ocular delivery of the company’s KIO-100 family of non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory small compounds.
Let’s start with KIO-100.
The KIO-100 family are third-generation small molecule dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitors with the potential to significantly limit inflammation in the retina that arises from autoimmune diseases.
Wait, didn’t Kiora announce big news about these recently?
Yup—earlier this month, the company unveiled its plans to significantly shift its clinical development pipeline to focus on rare retinal disease candidates.
This included transferring its clinical resources away from KIO-101 (designed to treat the ocular presentation of rheumatoid arthritis) to KIO-104.
To note, KIO-104 is designed as an intravitreal injection for the potential to decrease intraocular inflammation in posterior non-infectious uveitis (NIU).
How will it be transferring its resources?
The company is looking for potential strategic partnerships to continue the development of KIO-101 (as well as KIO-201, another molecule in its pipeline).
Gotcha. Now talk about these patents.
The two patents (in the US: Patent #11,730,716) includes intellectual property (IP) that provides protection for Kiora’s pipeline of small molecule analogs, delivery methods, and numerous inflammatory-related therapeutic applications—including posterior NIU.
What will this do?
With these protections, Kiora’s market exclusivity can be extended in both the U.S. and Europe for compounds with already-approved indications.
And this is important because …?
Kiora, along with any potential partners it adds for the development of KIO-101, is able to move forward with the development and commercialization of the KIO-100 compounds via “optimal delivery routes and formulations,” according to the company.
Any recent KIO-100 clinical activity to know about?
Relatively recent … the company reported in October 2022 that a first-in-human, open-label, phase 1b study (NCT03634475) on KIO-100 (for uveitis) demonstrated promising results, finding that a single injection decreased intraocular inflammation “in a dose-dependent fashion and improved visual acuity significantly.”
Overall, the drug was well-tolerated, with no serious side effects or adverse events observed.
And the significance of this molecule?
According to Kiora CEO and President Brian Strem, PhD, KIO-100 is a more potent molecule belonging to a validated class of FDA-approved anti-inflammatory drugs already benefiting patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
“KIO-104 could similarly provide benefit for patients in retinal inflammatory diseases like posterior (NIU),” he stated.