This project aims to develop a novel eye-drop treatment for early-stage diabetic retinopathy (DR), a leading cause of irreversible blindness. As a leading complication of diabetes, DR affects approximately 30% of diabetic adults worldwide (>100 million) and is estimated to affect 240 million people by 2045, with no current treatments available for the early stages of the debilitating disease. Existing therapies only address the final stages of DR, which often leads to irreversible vision loss, moreover, they are highly invasive and costly. Our innovative solution targets the early stages of DR with non-invasive, cost-effective eye-drops to protect against retinal inflammation and blood vessel leakage. By preserving vision at the earliest stages of the disease, this treatment has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes and quality of life. The project will focus on developing a regulatory-compliant formulation and conducting formal pre-clinical studies to progress the program towards clinical trials.
