Breaking ground with a novel first line dry eye therapy

Based on the IntelliGel platform which delivers moisturizing water and protection for the eye, RP501 is Redwood Pharma’s developmental hydrogel therapy for first line treatment of dry eye disease.

IntelliGel is a proprietary novel supramolecular thermogel platform that is currently formulated in dermatological products sold in the US and China. Transparent, non-allergenic, and reversible, IntelliGel is based on poloxamers and other unique polymers that allow for formulations with relatively high water content. Behaving like water at room temperature, it forms a viscous gel when applied to warmer surfaces and can be used to deliver active substances to the front of the eye.

RP501 is currently being developed as a medical device in Europe. The safety and efficacy of RP501 was tested in the recent RP101 Phase II trial conducted by Redwood Pharma in post-menopausal women. RP501 (the vehicle control) improved both subjective symptoms and objective signs such as dryness, foreign body sensation, tear fluid production, tear break-up time and corneal staining.

Redwood Pharma will now conduct a clinical medical device study of RP501 to further test efficacy in both men and women over 18 years of age, safety and tolerability in those dry eye sufferers wearing contact lenses. With approval from the local ethics’ commission in Austria, Redwood is now awaiting final clinical trial approval from the Austrian Federal Office for Safety in Health Care (BASG). Once granted, the new trial supporting a CE-marking approval will begin and last throughout the current year.

RP501 will address a large market where there is a need for better therapies that offer effective relief from dry eye with fewer administrations per day. RP501 has significant therapeutic and commercial potential as a next-generation first-line therapy to treat the majority of DED sufferers, including males and females of all ages. The global market was valued at US$2.3 billion in 2019 and expected to grow to US$2.9 billion by 2030 (Source: Transparency Market Research 2020). Today, DED sufferers turn first to artificial tears (saline eye drops) to provide temporary relief.  

For further information

Martin Vidaeus – CEO, Phone: +46 70-232 29 29

Email: martin.vidaeus@redwoodpharma.com

About Redwood Pharma

Redwood Pharma develops ophthalmic products for unmet medical needs through novel approaches. In providing commercial partners and their customers with effective medical solutions, the Company is currently developing treatments for dry eye disease in various target patient populations. The RP101 program targets moderate-to-severe dry eye disease in post-menopausal women by delivering a low-dose estrogen therapy to the front of the eye. The RP501 program aims to treat milder forms of dry eye in a broader patient population including both men and women of all ages. For other potential drug substances and therapeutic areas, the Company can employ the IntelliGel drug delivery platform that enhances patient convenience by controlling dosing and potentially reducing the number of instillations per day and subsequent side-effects. Redwood Pharma leverages its strengths in early clinical development and aims to generate revenues through, among others, licensing agreements with companies that have capabilities to manufacture and sell medical products worldwide.

Redwood Pharma AB (publ) is listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth stock market (Ticker: REDW.ST, ISIN: SE008294789).

For more information visit: www.redwoodpharma.com

2022-03-11