R-Tech Ueno to Collaborative With Tohoku University on New Delivery System
R-Tech Ueno recently announced it will conduct a collaborative study with Tohoku University, a national university corporation, to develop a drug delivery system for Isopropyl Unoprostone (hereinafter referred to as Unoprostone), a compound made by R-Tech Ueno, using a sustained drug delivery system device (patent pending: International Publication No. WO2011/021594) invented by the study team of Prof. Toshiaki Abe M.D. et al, Division of Clinical Cell Therapy, United Centers for Advanced Research and Translational Medicine, Tohoku University, Graduate School of Medicine.
Unlike conventional devices that are inserted into the eye, this new device is a minimally invasive transscleral drug delivery system that is attached to the sclera, and does not require vitreous surgery. A Phase II clinical study of frequent instillations (2 drops per instillation, twice a day) of UF-021 (Unoprostone) Eye Drops, which are under development at the company for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa, has been completed. According to R-Tech, if the Unoprostone drug delivery system is realized, the treatment with Unoprostone will become feasible in patients with retinitis pigmentosa in whom frequent instillation is difficult.
In addition, the company believes the expanded indication of Unoprostone as a treatment drug for atrophic age-related macular degeneration, for which there is currently no effective therapy, may become possible. It hopes to pursue this collaborative study with Prof. Abe’s study team at
Prostone is a group of functional fatty acids discovered in the early 1980s by R-Tech Ueno founder, Ryuji Ueno, MD, PhD. While it has positive local physiological effects as a drug, it is also a chemical compound free from various systemic adverse reactions that were originally exhibited with Prostaglandin. Rescula (Generic name: Isopropyl Unoprostone) Eye drops 0.12%, approved for marketing in Japan in 1994, is the world’s first Prostone medicine for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension, and has been reported to have ion (K+ ion) channel opening activity and is able to not only lower the intraocular pressure, but also provide sustained optic nerve protection (in vitro) and improve ocular blood flow in patients with normal-tension glaucoma. It has been approved in 45 countries worldwide since it was first marketed in 1994. In 2009, the formulation was changed to reduce the antiseptic level in Rescula Eye Drops. Since 2010, it has become possible to store the drug at room temperature rather than in a cool place.
For the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa, R-Tech Ueno has also pursued the development of eye drops (Product name: Ocuseva) that contains unoprostone as the main component, and a Phase II clinical study has been completed now. The Phase II clinical study revealed that the number of patients with deteriorated retina sensitivity in the central part of the retina decreased significantly. For more information, visit www.rtechueno.com/em/.
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