Milan-based biotech incubator Golgi Neurosciences is teaming up with Danish biopharma Breye Therapeutics to develop the P₂X₇ receptor antagonist programme for the treatment of retinal disorders.

The two companies announced their collaboration, which aims to find treatment options for both early-stage diabetic retinopathy (DR) and dry-AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration) – two disorders that frequently cause vision loss. “There is a significant need for more effective and patient-compliant drugs in the ophthalmic field,” stresses Chiara Liberati, Managing Director at Golgi Neurosciences. Ulrik Mouritzen, CEO of Breye Therapeutics, added: “We are pleased to collaborate to advance the P₂X₇ receptor antagonist programme for retinal disorders, where there is a large unmet medical need for more effective and less burdensome therapies.”

The P₂X₇ receptor is an ATP-gated ion channel expressed in various cell types and is a key inflammation switch. Inflammation increases in the diabetic retina and does so in a self-propagating manner. Strong scientific evidence also implicates inflammation in the pathogenesis of AMD.

Golgi Neurosciences S.r.l. is a biotech incubator dedicated to the discovery and development of small molecule-based treatments for neurodegenerative diseases with high unmet need. The incubator boasts a diverse portfolio of clinical and preclinical stage companies, all focused on programs targeting various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Multiple Sclerosis and Retinopathies. Breye Therapeutics ApS is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel oral therapies for retinal vascular diseases. Breye raised a seed round from Novo Holdings and Sound BioVentures and received financial support from the BioInnovation Institute, the Danish Growth Foundation (Vækstfonden) and the Danish Innovation Foundation (Innovationsfonden).