Partnership Leverages PolyActiva’s PREZIA™ Drug Delivery Platform Technology and RareSight’s Expertise in Rare Diseases to Advance Novel Sustained Release Ocular Implants

PolyActiva, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering a novel drug delivery technology to improve outcomes for patients with ocular conditions, and RareSight, Inc., an ophthalmology-focused life sciences company committed to advancing therapies for inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), today announced a strategic collaboration to develop first-in-class therapies for rare pediatric retinal diseases that currently have no approved drug treatments.

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The research collaboration agreement, leveraging PolyActiva’s proprietary PREZIA™ platform, will offer first-of-its-kind, new chemical entity (NCE)-eligible pro-drug candidates to people affected by blinding eye conditions. Administered intravitreally, the approach will deliver sustained-release, zero-order treatment directly to the retina, requiring no patient administration—a key benefit for children and their caregivers.

“This collaboration represents an important step in PolyActiva’s growth as we expand our proprietary platform into new therapeutic areas,” said Jerry St. Peter, CEO and Board Director of PolyActiva. “Partnering with RareSight allows us to apply our PREZIA technology beyond glaucoma to address the urgent unmet needs of children living with inherited retinal disorders. This effort reflects our broader vision to build a diversified ophthalmic pipeline that delivers durable, targeted, and potentially life-changing treatments for people who have long been overlooked.”

“At RareSight, we are dedicated to preventing sight loss caused by rare pediatric eye diseases,” said Carmen Caricchio, CEO and Founder of RareSight. “By combining RareSight’s therapeutic discovery and development expertise with PolyActiva’s novel drug delivery platform, this collaboration represents a major step toward transforming how inherited eye diseases are treated. Together, we are advancing a new class of long-acting pharmacologic therapies to address early-onset vision loss, with the potential to change a child’s life and bring hope to generations to come.”

IRDs are rare genetic disorders that cause progressive vision loss and blindness, with symptoms often beginning in childhood. IRDs collectively affect up to 6,800,000 people worldwide.¹ There are no approved drug treatments for these severe and progressive genetic ophthalmic conditions.

"Children with inherited retinal diseases face lifelong visual challenges with no approved drug therapies," said Sandeep Grover, MD, Medical Retina, Inherited Retinal Disease Specialist, and Professor of Ophthalmology based in Jacksonville, Fla. "As a pioneer of the earliest research in this field and caring for kids and their families for more than two decades, I am encouraged by novel therapeutic strategies that support our goal of helping patients maintain vision, function, and independence as long as possible."

The collaboration with RareSight expands PolyActiva’s clinical-stage ophthalmic portfolio, which includes PA5108, a new chemical entity and biodegradable ocular micro-implant designed for sustained intraocular pressure control for up to six months with repeat dosing using the PREZIA platform. PolyActiva’s Phase 2b U.S. trial is currently underway in approximately 75 patients across 12 sites to evaluate PA5108’s safety, tolerability, and durability in controlling intraocular pressure over time. By broadening its proprietary pro-drug technology into new therapeutic domains, including pediatric rare retinal diseases, both companies have the potential to develop the first-ever drug treatments for underserved patient populations.

About PREZIA™

PolyActiva’s proprietary PREZIA™ drug delivery platform underpins ophthalmic therapeutics in the company’s pipeline. Unlike traditional polymer matrix or nanoparticle-based systems that rely on passive diffusion, PREZIA uses covalent bonding to attach therapeutic agents to a polymer backbone. This approach enables precise, consistent, and fully customizable drug release over periods ranging from one week to over one year. The platform’s biodegradable design eliminates residual buildup and supports repeat dosing. PREZIA-based therapies can be formulated as rod-shaped implants or injectable gels and are compatible with both single-agent and combination therapies for a broad range of ocular conditions. The PREZIA technology is unique in that it allows for new patent protection over existing drugs when delivered with this platform.

About PolyActiva

PolyActiva is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel drug delivery solutions to improve outcomes for patients with ocular conditions. The company’s lead asset, PA5108, is a biodegradable ocular implant that delivers sustained latanoprost therapy to reduce intraocular pressure in glaucoma and ocular hypertension. For more information, visit polyactiva.com.

About RareSight, Inc.

RareSight, Inc. is an ophthalmology-focused life sciences company committed to advancing therapies for inherited retinal diseases (IRDs), a group of rare genetic disorders that cause progressive vision loss and blindness. The company combines expertise in pharmacology, clinical development and commercialization to discover innovative treatments for underserved patient populations where no approved pharmacologic options exist. For more information, please visit raresight.com.

References:

1. Durham TA, Duncan JL, Ayala AR, Birch DG, Cheetham JK, Ferris FL 3rd, Hoyng CB, Pennesi ME, Sahel JA; Foundation Fighting Blindness Consortium Investigator Group. Tackling the Challenges of Product Development Through a Collaborative Rare Disease Network: The Foundation Fighting Blindness Consortium. Transl Vis Sci Technol. 2021 Apr 1;10(4):23. doi: 10.1167/tvst.10.4.23. PMID: 34004001; PMCID: PMC8083110.

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