HuidaGene Therapeutics Receives the First-Ever FDA Clearance of CRISPR/Cas13 RNA-Editing HG202 for Macular Degeneration

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Nov 04, 2024, 06:00 ET

HG202 is the first CRISPR/Cas13Y RNA-targeting therapy to enter clinical development and the only clinical-stage CRISPR RNA-editing therapy for age-related macular degeneration
Preclinical studies in laser-induced CNV mice showed HG202 reduced CNV area by 87%, outperforming both anti-VEGF antibodies and AAV-anti-VEGF gene therapy

SHANGHAI and CLINTON, N.J., Nov. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HuidaGene Therapeutics ("HuidaGene"), a global clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced that the U.S. FDA has cleared its investigational new drug (IND) application for HG202, the world's first-ever CRISPR/Cas13 RNA-editing therapy for clinical use in treating neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), which affects millions worldwide.

"This open IND for HG202 by the U.S. FDA-the first regulator to clear CRISPR/Cas13 for clinical development–marks a significant milestone for HuidaGene and the CRISPR RNA-editing field," noted Alvin Luk, Ph.D., M.B.A., C.C.R.A., Co-founder and CEO of HuidaGene. "The strong preclinical data for HG202, combined with promising results from the first-in-human 'SIGHT-I' trial in China, underscored its potential to address AMD using a non-receptor binding pathway through the Cas13 RNA editor to knockdown VEGF-A mRNA."

Xin Zhang, M.D., MSc., COO and CMO of HuidaGene, highlighted the urgency of new nAMD treatments: "Up to 46% of AMD patients respond poorly or develop resistance to anti-VEGF therapies. AMD patients deserve safe, effective treatment options. The BRIGHT trial will evaluate HG202's safety and efficacy to address this gap. We look forward to enrolling patients soon."

"Our AI/ML-driven HG-PRECISE® platform led us to discover the Cas13X/Y system (Nature Methods 2021)," added Hui Yang, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Advisor of HuidaGene. "Building on this basis, my team engineered high-fidelity Cas13Y with efficient editing and low off-target effects (Nature Biotechnology 2022), laying out the technical foundation for future clinical applications."

BRIGHT Trial of HG202 (NCT06623279)
The BRIGHT (an open-laBel, dose-escalation study for CRISPR/Cas13-RNA targetInG tHerapy for the Treatment of neovascular AMD) trial, a Phase 1, dose-finding study, will investigate the safety and efficacy of HG202 at different doses in nAMD patients. Primary endpoints include the safety and tolerability of HG202, with secondary endpoints assessing improvements in visual acuity, retinal thickness, and the need for anti-VEGF injections.

About HuidaGene
HuidaGene utilizes its proprietary CRISPR-based HG-PRECISE® platform to develop potentially curative genome medicines. The Company is advancing clinical programs, including trials of HG004 (granted ODD & RPDD by FDA) 'LIGHT' trial (NCT06088992) and Phase 1/2 international, master-protocol 'STAR' clinical trial (NCT05906953) for RPE65-associated retinal disease, HG202 RNA-editing therapy 'SIGHT-I' first-in-human trial (NCT06031727) and 'BRIGHT' Phase 1 clinical trial (NCT06623279) for nAMD, HG204 RNA-editing therapy (granted ODD & RPDD by FDA and ODD by EMA) 'HERO' trial (NCT06615206) for MECP2 duplication syndrome, and HG302 DNA-editing therapy (granted ODD & RPDD by FDA) first-in-human 'MUSCLE' trial (NCT06594094) for DMD. The preclinical programs include HG303 DNA-editing for ALS and CRISPR RNA-editing therapy for Alzheimer's. With an extensive intellectual property portfolio, HuidaGene is a leader in genome medicines for neurology and ophthalmology. Learn more at huidagene.com or on LinkedIn.