Oxurion faces bankruptcy as diabetic retinopathy trial falls short

Oxurion has announced its decision to file for bankruptcy in response to disappointing topline data from its KALAHARI phase 2, Part B trial for diabetic macular edema (DME).

In a statement this week, the Belgian biotech said that its novel PKal inhibitor, THR-149, did not show significant improvement in vision compared to the anti-VEGF therapy aflibercept. The KALAHARI trial enrolled 112 patients.

THR-149 was designed to treat DME patients with suboptimal responses to the current standard of care, anti-VEGF therapy. DME is a condition characterized by fluid buildup in the macula, the central part of the retina, in individuals with diabetes, leading to vision problems and or vision loss in people with diabetes. DME is the leading cause of progressive vision loss.