Key Takeaways

  • Okogen has dosed the first patient in its Phase 1/2 EMERALD trial of Treyegen for acute infectious conjunctivitis

  • Treyegen combines ranpirnase, tobramycin, and oxymetazoline to target infectious causes and ocular congestion

  • The multicenter study will evaluate safety and potential clinical efficacy in a condition with overlapping viral and bacterial presentations

Okogen announced that the first patient has been dosed in its phase 1/2 EMERALD trial evaluating Treyegen (OKG-0303) for the treatment of acute infectious conjunctivitis.

The first patient was dosed at Ambade Eye Hospital in Nagpur, India, following authorization of the multicenter clinical study by India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

Treyegen is an investigational ophthalmic therapy combining 3 agents with complementary mechanisms of action: ranpirnase, an investigational antiviral; tobramycin, a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent; and oxymetazoline, intended to reduce ocular congestion.

The EMERALD trial is designed to assess the safety and potential clinical efficacy of the combination in patients with acute infectious conjunctivitis.

“Dosing the first patient in EMERALD represents an important milestone in Okogen’s development of Treyegen,” said Joshua Moriarty, CEO of Okogen. “Physicians need a therapy designed for the uncertainty they face at the first visit, when the cause of infection is often unknown.”

Acute infectious conjunctivitis can result from viral or bacterial pathogens, which frequently produce overlapping clinical signs and symptoms. Consequently, ophthalmologists may need to initiate treatment before laboratory confirmation of the underlying pathogen is available.

Okogen is developing Treyegen to address this diagnostic uncertainty through a single formulation incorporating antiviral, antibacterial, and symptom-relieving components. The company noted that no FDA-approved antiviral therapies are currently specifically indicated for adenoviral conjunctivitis, a common cause of infectious conjunctivitis.

The EMERALD trial represents the clinical evaluation of Okogen's host-directed antiviral approach, with findings expected to inform further development of Treyegen as a potential treatment for acute infectious conjunctivitis.