Thursday, September 28, 2023
Kriya Therapeutics, Inc. (“Kriya”), a biopharmaceutical company developing gene therapies for conditions affecting millions of people around the world, has entered into an exclusive license, collaboration and supply agreement with Everads Therapy, Ltd (“Everads”) to advance Kriya’s portfolio of gene therapies for retinal diseases using Everads’ suprachoroidal delivery device. Everads is a private biotech company that has developed a novel technology enabling targeted delivery of therapies to the retina via the suprachoroidal space, an anatomical compartment located between the sclera and choroid that traverses the circumference of the posterior segment of the eye. Suprachoroidal delivery is an emerging, non-surgical route of administration in ophthalmology. Specifically in delivery of gene therapy, this route of administration offers the potential to enhance the efficiency of gene therapy delivery to the retina while minimizing intraocular inflammation.
The transaction enables Kriya’s access to Everads’ suprachoroidal delivery technology to deliver multiple prespecified gene therapy product candidates for several ophthalmic diseases, including those involving the complement cascade. Dysregulation of the complement system has been implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of geographic atrophy. Kriya’s approach is a one-time adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy that drives the expression of a CR2-CR1 (complement receptor 2-complement receptor 1) fusion protein that is designed to inhibit complement C3 and C5. These are also targeted by the first two FDA-approved treatments for geographic atrophy which require monthly or bi-monthly intraocular injections.
“We are excited about the potential to advance a gene therapy that blocks both complement C3 and C5, which are validated biological targets for the treatment of geographic atrophy,” said Shankar Ramaswamy, M.D., Co-Founder and CEO of Kriya. “Our collaboration with Everads aligns with our vision to implement next generation delivery technologies that can optimize AAV delivery to the eye via one-time administration, which has the potential to substantially reduce patient burden associated with repeated intravitreal injections or subretinal surgical approaches.”
“We believe that our suprachoroidal delivery technology provides a potential leap forward for novel eye care therapies. Our proprietary, geometrically-optimized non-sharp tissue separator opens a path into the suprachoroidal space, enabling a more convenient tangential injection that can support rapid and extensive drug distribution,” said Moshe Weinstein, Executive Chair & CEO of Everads. “We are excited to partner with Kriya to enable delivery of cutting-edge gene therapy via the suprachoroidal space that may ultimately improve the quality of life for patients with geographic atrophy.”
About Kriya Therapeutics
Our mission is to revolutionize medicine, with the ultimate goal of eliminating human suffering and enabling people to live without the burden of disease. Kriya is a biopharmaceutical company developing gene therapies to address diseases affecting millions of people around the world. With operations in Palo Alto, California and Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, Kriya has raised over $600 million in committed capital, which will be used to advance a broad pipeline of gene therapies for ophthalmology, neurology and metabolic disease. For more information, please visit www.kriyatx.com and follow us on LinkedIn and X (Formerly Twitter).
Kriya Media Contact:
Kelli Perkins
