Charlesson's Drug Pipeline
Charlesson has several drug candidates and delivery methods under investigation for the treatment of retinal disease. For more information on a specific drug candidate, click on the links to the left. The following summarizes the development status of each candidate:
CLT-003 - CLT-003 is a multi-target anti-angiogenic and anti-inflammatory agent that Charlesson is developing for ocular diseases. The primary indication is diabetic macular edema (DME). Secondary indications include macular edema secondary to other pathologies and wet age-related macular degeneration (wet-AMD).
CLT-003 is an inhibitor of the transcription factor Hypoxia-Induced Factor-1α (HIF-1α), a master switch of the tissue responses to hypoxic stress, which retinas in DME and wet-AMD patients are exposed to. CLT-003 also suppresses VEGF and ICAM-1 expression in hypoxic cells and retinas, as expected for a HIF-1α inhibitor. CLT-003 has demonstrated potent biological activity in models of retinal edema and neovascularization.
Charlesson is currently developing a sustained-release formulation of CLT-003 that will be injected 2 to 3 times a year, a significant improvement over the 4 to 12 injections/year for the most advanced drugs in development. More info
CLT-005 – The CLT-005 program is a novel small molecule inhibitor of the transcription factor STAT3 that controls angiogenic and inflammatory responses. The lead compound has showed remarkable inhibitory activity in DME models. The program is a back-up to CLT-003. More info
CLT-002 - We successfully cloned CLT-002 (kallistatin, or kallikrein-binding protein,) and identified its anti-angiogenic activity. We have also discovered its effects on inflammation, vascular leakage & fibrosis. Its potential application is similar to PEDF. CLT-002 is a back-up to CLT-001.More info
Other Programs – Charlesson has identified three other promising therapeutic strategies, including novel small molecule and biological drugs, with novel and differentiating mechanisms of action. These research programs are being developed as the next wave of drugs for novel ophthalmic indications including uveitis, glaucoma (neuroprotection), and some forms of congenital blindness. These compounds are expected to present a significant growth opportunity for Charlesson.More info